The Monkey's Paw

The Monkey's Paw is a book about a family that was happy in spite of the fact that they didn't have much money. Mr and Mrs White were old and had a son, Herbert, who worked in a factory. They were very happy and father and son spent their evenings together playing chess.

However their happeness was destroyed when one evening Mr White's friend Tom Morris came to visit them and told them stories about his time in India as a solder and strange things that happened in that part of the world to him and one of his friends.

Tom Morris told the White family about the Monkey's Paws that had magic, if one made three wishes they came true but also brought unhappiness. They didn't believe him and asked him to give them the monkey's paw. He did so unwillingly and they made a wish for £30,000 to buy their house and have money.

They got their wish but it also brought sadness because their only son died the next day at the factory where he worked.

They got the money but because of greed lost their most precious gift and happiness - their son Herbert. Life was never the same again.

So we should be ahppy with what we have if our family is well.

Rukia Shambe