The Monkey's Paw

"The Monkey's Paw" is a supernatural horror short story by William Wymark Jacobs. It was published in 1902, in the book "The Lady of the Barge". It is one of the most famous horror short stories of English literature. It is based on the idea that the holder of a talisman has three wishes. In this case, the talisman is the mummified paw of a monkey. In the story, the wishes are granted, but the results are unexpectedly negative.
The story has been the source for many movies, and a theatre play.