The Monkey's Paw: a tale of karma

The Monkey's Paw

Retold by Michael Dolan/B.V. Mahāyogi

There are many cautionary tales about human greed. One of my favorites is the short story by Tolstoy, “How much land does one man need” about a landowner inspired by greed who finds in the end that he only needs enough land to be buried. I published this in my last post.

With the coming of October it is harvest time. Metaphorically the harvest represents death as we cut from the earth its bounty to sustain ourselves. Cultures all over the world honor October-November as a special time when the earth moves from Autumn to Winter. And so in the traditions of Mexico we celebrate the Day of the Dead and honor and remember all those who have passed to the other world.

As we near the Halloween season, I remembered another such story, one of my favorite “horror” stories. It’s called the “Monkey’s Paw.” The Monkey’s Paw is a classic tale of greed and karma, a supernatural short story written by W.W. Jacobs, a long forgotten author, but based on older sources. It is supposed to be a true story. It follows the old formula of the “three wishes” stories so popular among story-tellers and is a cautionary fable. The old Puranas of India are filled with instructive stories that advise us on the nature of karma; this story is a modern version of a moral fable.

I heard the story a long time ago from my father on a dark and stormy night. I remembered it well enough to tell it to my brothers when they were little. Later, I have told the tale in the classroom at this time of year to my English students.

I can’t remember all the details of the original story perfectly. I retell the story as best I can from memory.

THE MONKEY'S PAW

I

One rainy night a gypsy walks a lonely country road. He sees the light on in a farm house and goes to seek shelter. Mr. and Mrs. White, the couple who live there with their son Herman welcome him.

They offer the gypsy a hot bowl of soup and a bed for the night. The next day, after lunch, the gypsy wishes to repay their kind hospitality. He shows them a leather bag with a magic charm: the monkey’s paw. He explains the legend of the charm: It is the enchanted paw of a Hanuman monkey, thousands of years old, and has the power to grant three wishes.

After thanking them again, the gypsy leaves and walks down the country road into the sunset. Mr. and Mrs. White study the strange talisman. Spurred by his wife, Mr. White invokes the paw and wishes for money: they ask for 200 pounds, enough to pay their debts. No money appears before them. They try and try, but nothing happens. They conclude that the monkey's paw is a gypsy trick, a fraud.

II

Thinking nothing more of the hoax they turn in for the night. The next morning there is a knock at the door. It is the foreman of the factory where their son Herbert works. He is grim as he explains the accident at the factory. Late last night, Herbert slipped. His necktie was caught in the press.

He was mangled to death by the machine. The men at the factory took up a collection. He hands the couple an envelope.

Horrified, the couple sits at the kitchen table some time later. They count the money in the envelope. It is exactly 200 pounds, the amount they had wished for. They can understand that the monkey’s paw does indeed have some mystic power. Agonized by the death of their only son, they sit in silence and stare at the enchanted monkey’s paw.

Finally, Mrs. White has an idea. They will use their second wish to bring her son back from the grave. They join hands and raise the monkey paw. “Oh Monkey’s Paw,” they intone solemnly. “If you have any power left, bring our son home.”

They wait. Again, nothing happens. They turn in for the night. It is a dark and stormy night. The rain beats hard on the rook. Lightning flashes. They can’t sleep. Late at night they hear a sound.

Mr. White looks out the window. A flash of lightning illuminates a strange form. His shadow moves through the garden outside the window.

Mrs. White awakens. “Could it be... Herman?”

They hear something at the door. They hear a knock. And then a moan. “AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH.”

The knocking is insistent.

They thought “Could this be Herman?”

Mrs. White is frantic. She rushes to the door and begins to unlock the bolt. But Mr. White stops her.

“Wait,” he says. “Let me see what’s out there. It could be the gypsy.”

Mrs. White bites her lip.

Mr. White looks through the window. Another lightning flash lights up the strange form pounding on the door. It is a mangled monster. He’s banging on the door now. Soon he will break it down.

Mr. White finds the monkey’s paw. He holds it high and prays, “Monkey’s Paw! return this creature to the grave!”

A loud crack of thunder reverberates through the house. When its echoes fade, the pounding at the door has stopped.

Mrs. White can wait no longer. She opens the door and finds nothing but the rain dripping down from the roof, the dark empty night, and the lonely road.

The monkey’s paw grants  three wishes to its owner, but one can change one’s karma only at a heavy price. The story teaches that by trying to tamper with karma and extract more than one needs from the environment, one must pay the price.