The
Monkey's Foot
Mr
and Mrs White lived in a nice small house. Their son Herbert lived
with them. Herbert worked in a factory He worked at a big machine. Mr
White worked in an office. Mrs White was a housewife.
There
were not many houses near them. "I want a house near the town,"
said Mr White.
"But
it's £400 for a house near the town, and we're not rich."
"No,"said Mrs White,"but we're happy here, aren't we,
Herbert?" "Yes, but Dad's right," said Herbert. "We're
a long way from the shops and the train and the bus."
One
day, an old friend came to dinner. His name was Mr Morris. The Whites
liked to hear his stories. He talked about many countries. When Mr
Morris knocked at the door, Mr White opened it.
"Come
in, come in," he said. "Good to see you. How are you? Come
and sit by the fire,
Whisky?"
"Thank
you," said Mr Morris. "How are you, Mrs White, Herbert?"
"Very
well, thank you," they said.
"Dinner
isn't ready," said Mrs White. "Tell us a story, Mr Morris."
"A story about India," said Herbert. "I'm going to
India, some day."
Mr
Morris said nothing. He had something in his hand.
"What's
that, Mr Morris?" said Mrs White.
"This?"
said Mr Morris. "It's a monkey's foot "
"A
monkey's foot?" said the Whites.
"Yes.
Don't touch it."
"Why
not?" said Herbert.
Mr
Morris looked at the fire.
"Mr
Morris, aren't you well?" asked Mrs White.
"Oh
yes, thank you," said Mr Morris. "I'm not ill."
"Tell
us about the monkey's foot," said Herbert.
"Yes,"
said Mr Morris. "I had this foot from a man in India. He
said...."
"Yes?"
said the Whites.
"With
this foot you can ask for three things. You can have three wishes."
"How?"
said Herbert.
"Take
the foot in your hand and say, 'I wish for....'. Then say what you
want."
"And
you asked for three things?" said Mrs White.
"No."
Mr Morris looked at the fire again. "I only asked for one
thing," he said. "I had
one
wish. I got it."
"A
good thing?" asked Herbert.
"No,
it was not," said Mr Morns. "No more questions, please. You
always have a good big fire here. I'm going to put the monkey's foot
on your fire."
"Don't,"
said Herbert. "Give it to us."
"No."
"Why
not?"
"Because
you are my friends."
"Dinner's
ready," said Mrs White.
Mr
Morris put the foot on the fire. He went to the table with Mr White.
Herbert jumped up and got the foot from the fire. He put it on a
little table. Mr Morris did not see it.
After
dinner he went home. "Here's the foot," said Herbert. "I'm
going to ask for something."
"Don't,
Herbert," said Mrs White.
Herbert
did not listen to her. "Dad," he said, "you want £400.
Wish for £400. Here's the
foot.
"
"I
want £400," said Mr White. Then he said, "The foot jumped
in my hand!"
"Where's
the money?" said Herbert. "There's no money here. I'm going
to bed."
"Put
that thing on the fire," said Mrs White. "I don't like it."
But
Mr White put the foot on the table. In the morning, at breakfast,
Herbert said,
"No
letters today. No £400 for you, Dad."
"I'm
happy here without the money," said Mrs White.
Herbert
went to his factory. "Back to my machine," he said. Mr
White went to his office. Mrs White worked in the house.
When
Mr White came home in the evening, he said, "Any money?"
"No,"
said Mrs White.
"Where's
Herbert?" said Mr White.
"He
isn't back from the factory," said Mrs White .
Seven
o'clock came. Eight o'clock. Herbert wasn't back. "Where is he?"
said Mrs White.
Then
there was a knock at the door. "Open it," said Mrs White.
Mr White opened the door. A man was there. He said, "Mr White?
The father of Herbert White?"
"Yes."
"I'm
from the factory," said the man.
"Come
in."
"Thank
you," said the man. He had something in his hand. "This is
a letter for you," he said. "A letter from the factory."
"Where's
Herbert?" said Mrs White. "Where's my son?"
The
man said nothing.
"Is
Herbert ill?" said Mr White.
"No,"
said the man. "Not ill."
"Is
he....?"
"He
is dead," said the man. "Your son is dead."
"Dead?"
"The
machine," said the man. "The big machine.... "
"I
want to see my son," said Mrs White.
"No,"
said the man again. "The machine...."
Mrs
White said nothing.
"This
letter," said the man. "It's from the factory. We want to
give you some money."
"Money?"
"£400,"
said the man.
Mr
and Mrs White were in bed. They were not asleep.
"Are
you cold, my love?" said Mr White.
"No,"
she said. "But my boy Herbert is cold tonight. "
Then
she said, "Where is it?"
"What?
"The
foot. The monkey's foot. We have two wishes. I'm going to get the
foot."
"No,
no,my love."
But
she went to the sitting room. "Here it is," she said. "On
the little table."
"Please,
please, my love, don't," said Mr White.
She
said nothing. The monkey's foot was in her hand.
"I
want my son back again," she said. The foot jumped in her hand.
"Come
back to bed, my love. You're ill," said Mr White. But she
listened. Something walked up the road to the house. Something
knocked at the door. Again and again, something knocked at the door.
"Open
the door!" she said.
"No,"
said Mr White.
"I'm
going to open it," she said. "I'm coming, my boy, I'm
coming!"
Mr
White looked for the monkey's foot. "Here it is," he said.
"I wish my son back in the cemetery”
The
foot jumped in his hand. Mrs White opened the door. There was nothing
there.
