The Monkey's Paw: The Lady of the Barge and Others, Part 2

In Short

Set in the dimly lit parlour of Laburnam Villa, this uncanny tale follows the White family after they acquire a mummified monkey's paw from a traveled visitor. The visitor warns them that an Indian fakir placed a spell upon the object to prove that fate governs human lives, and that those who try to alter it suffer immense sorrow. Intrigued despite the warning, the father wishes for two hundred pounds to pay off his home. The money arrives the next day as corporate compensation for the horrific fatal accident of their only son. Driven wild by grief, the mother forces a second wish to bring the boy back from the grave. As heavy, unnatural knocking echoes at the front door in the dark of night, the father desperately uses the final wish to undo the terror outside. Its swift pacing, domestic intimacy, and dreadful suspense make it an enduring classic of horror.

The Story

The narrative opens on a cold, wet night inside Laburnam Villa, where Mr. White and his grown son, Herbert, play chess while Mrs. White knits peacefully by the hearth. Their cozy evening is interrupted by the arrival of Sergeant-Major Morris, a family friend returning from twenty-one years of military service in India. Over glasses of whiskey, Morris shares stories of distant lands and eventually produces a small, shriveled object from his pocket: a mummified monkey's paw. He explains that a holy man placed a spell on it to demonstrate that interfering with fate brings disaster. Three separate men can each make three wishes upon it; the sergeant-major reveals he has already used his, and that the previous owner’s final wish was for death.

Despite Morris's solemn warnings, the Whites remain curious. When the soldier abruptly throws the paw onto the fire, Mr. White quickly snatches it from the flames. Morris refuses to formally give it to him, urging him to burn it, but gives instructions on how to use it if he insists. After their guest departs, the family jokes about the talisman's supposed powers. Herbert playfully suggests wishing for enough money to pay off the mortgage on their house. Smiling at his own foolishness, Mr. White holds the paw aloft and wishes aloud for two hundred pounds. As he speaks the words, he recoils in horror, exclaiming that the paw twisted in his hand like a snake. His son and wife reassure him that it was merely his imagination, as no money appears. Herbert leaves for his job at the factory the next morning, making light of the previous night's eerie events.

The atmosphere shifts dramatically that afternoon. Mrs. White notices a well-dressed stranger lingering outside their gate, hesitating before approaching the door. The man introduces himself as a representative from "Maw and Meggins," the firm where Herbert works. With great reluctance, he delivers devastating news: Herbert was caught in the heavy machinery and killed. The firm disclaims all legal liability for the accident, but as a gesture of sympathy for his length of service, they offer the grieving parents a sum of compensation. The amount offered is exactly two hundred pounds. Upon hearing the figure, Mr. White faints to the floor.

Days after burying their only child in the local cemetery, the old couple remains trapped in an unbearable silence, consumed by hopeless grief. Late one night, Mrs. White suddenly remembers the monkey's paw and its remaining two wishes. Overcome by a desperate frenzy, she insists that her husband go downstairs, retrieve the talisman from the parlour, and wish their son alive again. Mr. White revolts at the idea, reminding her that Herbert has been dead for ten days and was so terribly mutilated in the machinery that his body was recognizable only by his clothing. Unmoved by the horror, she drags him toward the door, demanding that he make the wish. Trembling with fear, Mr. White raises his hand in the dark bedroom and speaks the second wish.

The couple waits in the pitch-black room as the candle burns down and goes out. Nothing seems to happen, and an unspeakable sense of relief washes over Mr. White as he creeps back into bed. Soon after, a quiet, stealthy knock sounds at the front door downstairs. The knock repeats, louder and more insistent. Mrs. White leaps up, realizing that the cemetery is two miles away and convinced that her resurrected son has walked home. She breaks free from her husband's terrified grasp and rushes downstairs to unbolt the door. Mr. White listens in terror as she struggles with the heavy top bolt, which she cannot reach. As she drags a chair across the floor to stand on, the knocking escalates into a frantic battering against the wood. Desperate to prevent whatever stands outside from entering, Mr. White drops to his knees in the dark passage, frantically searching the floor for the lost monkey's paw. Just as his wife pulls back the final stiff bolt, he finds the object and breathes his third and last wish. The knocking stops instantly. Mrs. White opens the door to a cold wind and cries out in a long, loud wail of utter agony; her husband runs down to her side and out to the gate, seeing only a quiet, deserted street under the flickering lamp.

How It Unfolds

A quiet evening interrupted In the cozy parlour of Laburnam Villa, Mr. White and his son play chess while Mrs. White knits by the fire. The arrival of Sergeant-Major Morris brings exotic tales from his twenty-one years in India.

The warning of the talisman Morris reveals a shriveled monkey's paw enchanted by a fakir to show that altering fate causes sorrow. He recounts its deadly history and throws it into the hearth, but Mr. White rescues it against the soldier's advice.

The first careless desire Prompted by his son's lighthearted humor, Mr. White holds up the paw and wishes for two hundred pounds to clear the house mortgage. He drops the object in disgust, swearing it twisted in his hand like a snake.

The terrible compensation The following day, a representative from the local factory arrives with grave news of Herbert's fatal workplace accident. The firm disclaims liability but offers the family an exact sum of two hundred pounds in compensation.

A desperate midnight demand Driven mad by sorrow a week after the funeral, Mrs. White demands that her husband use the second wish to bring their son back to life. Mr. White resists, horrified by the thought of his mutilated child, but gives in to her demands.

The summons at the door In the pitch darkness of their bedroom, a low knock sounds at the front door, growing rapidly into a violent battering. Mrs. White rushes down to unbolt the door to let her son in, while her husband recoils in horror.

The final undoing As his wife drags a chair to reach the top bolt, Mr. White searches the dark floor on his knees for the paw. He finds it and breathes a third wish just as the door swings open to reveal an empty, quiet road.

The People

• Mr. White wants a comfortable, modest life in his retirement and seeks small novelties beyond his simple surroundings. What stands in his way is his own rash curiosity and his inability to heed solemn warnings when presented with magical temptation. By the end, his gentle, impressionable nature is broken by profound grief and scarred by the absolute terror of what his foolishness summoned.
• Mrs. White wants a peaceful home centered around the happiness and well-being of her close-knit family. What stands in her way is the sudden, catastrophic loss of her son, which shatters her mild disposition and plunges her into an unhinged, unstoppable sorrow. By the end, her quiet domestic contentment gives way to a haunting, permanent heartbreak.
• Herbert White wants to work his everyday job, tease his parents lovingly, and enjoy the cozy comforts of home. What stands in his way is the cruel, impersonal gears of the factory machinery where he works. He begins as a playful skeptic who mocks the talisman, but ends up as its gruesome, unseen casualty.
• Sergeant-Major Morris wants to forget the grim horrors and strange tragedies he witnessed during his long military service overseas. What stands in his way is the fascination of his hosts, who coax him into speaking about the cursed object he carries. He ends up leaving behind a fatal legacy despite his earnest attempts to burn the paw and warn his friends away.

In Its Own Voice

“It had a spell put on it by an old fakir,” said the sergeant-major, “a very holy man. He wanted to show that fate ruled people’s lives, and that those who interfered with it did so to their sorrow.”

The old soldier explains the origin of the dried talisman to the eager listeners gathered around his chair in the warm parlour.

“I was to say that ‘Maw and Meggins’ disclaim all responsibility,” continued the other. “They admit no liability at all, but in consideration of your son’s services, they wish to present you with a certain sum as compensation.”

The formal visitor from the factory delivers the fatal news to the parents alongside the exact sum requested in their wish.

“The bolt,” she cried, loudly. “Come down. I can’t reach it.”

In the dark entry passage, the desperate mother calls out to her husband while heavy knocking reverberates through the quiet house.

What It's Really About

At its core, the story is a somber examination of the conflict between fate and human arrogance. Through the ancient spell placed upon the paw, the narrative argues that human attempts to alter the natural course of life are inherently disastrous. The text presents a universe governed by a rigid, inescapable order; trying to bypass normal human limits or secure easy fortune inevitably carries a horrific cost.

It also explores the agonizing nature of grief and how severe loss can unravel human reason. The psychological breakdown of the White household after Herbert's death illustrates how trauma distorts judgment. Mrs. White's refusal to accept the reality of her son's death drives her to demand an act that defies nature, demonstrating that desperate love can blind a person to terrifying consequences.

Finally, the story critiques the illusion of safety found within modern, ordinary domesticity. By setting the unnatural occurrences within a mundane suburban home filled with chess games, knitting, and morning tea, the narrative demonstrates how easily tragedy and the unknown can breach the boundaries of everyday life. The modern workplace—represented by the cold, mechanical reality of the factory—serves as the brutal instrument through which the magic operates, underscoring the vulnerability of modest human happiness.

Why Read It Today

This classic narrative appeals to readers who appreciate tightly coiled suspense, rich atmosphere, and horror that relies on suggestion rather than explicit gore. Its brief length allows for a concentrated, masterfully paced reading experience that builds a quiet, ordinary evening into an suffocating nightmare. The lingering dread comes from what remains unseen—the horrifying implication of what stands on the other side of the bolted door in the dark.

The prose reflects its era through formal phrasing and localized vocabulary, such as references to antimacassars, parlour hearths, and modest Victorian pensions. The dialogue captures regional British speech patterns and period mannerisms, which lend an authentic, grounded texture to the characters before supernatural elements disrupt their lives.

What stays with the reader long after finishing is the profound moral clarity of its warning. The story serves as a timeless reminder of the danger of unconsidered desires and the terrifying speed with which a quiet, happy life can be destroyed. Its perfect balance of psychological truth and atmospheric terror ensures its place as a benchmark of modern horror fiction.