“The Monkey’s Paw” (pdf) – A victorian era ghost story written by W. W. Jacobs in 1902.
The classic short story begins with Sergeant-Major Morris, who served with the British Army in India, joining Mr. and Mrs. White and their adult son, Herbert for dinner. The Sergeant-Major shows them a mummified monkey’s paw. An old rishi placed a spell on the paw so that it would grant three wishes to its owner. But each wish came with consequences.
The Monkey’s Paw is a classic horror tale that gives new meaning to the phrase “be careful what you wish for.”