The Monkey’s Paw
The Monkey’s Paw, classic tale of horror and superstition, a much-anthologized short story by W.W. Jacobs, published in 1902 in the collection The Lady of the Barge. The story centres on a dried, shrunken monkey’s paw that is said to have the power to grant its possessor three wishes.
This article was most recently revised and updated by Kathleen Kuiper.
Citation Information
Article Title:
The Monkey’s Paw
Website Name:
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher:
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published:
29 October 2026
Access Date:
November 14, 2026