Happy Thoughts - Sleep Stories for Grownups-ENCORE-The Monkey's Paw - Positive Affirmations and Audio Stories

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi, This is Stefania at Positive Affirmations and Audio Stories,
bringing you happy thoughts, inspiration, motivation and entertainment to start
and end your day. We use the power of positive
words to help you live the positive, uplifting lifestyle that

(00:20):
she's so so richly deserve to. Day's episode is our
Halloween's special. We've got an encore presentation of The Monkey's Paw.
It was originally broadcasted several years ago on our podcast
in two parts, and we've got it all in one episode.

(00:44):
Joined together for you is a sleep story. It's a
Halloween story, but it won't keep you awake. You'll still
be heading off to a peaceful, enjoyable sleep. Our story
begins The Monkey's Paw by W. W. Jacobs. Sometimes lucky

(01:08):
charms are not as lucky as they seen the Monkey's
Paw without. The night was cold and wet, but in
the small parlor of Laburnum Villa, the blinds were drawn
and the fire burned brightly. Father and son were at chess.
The former, who possessed ideas about the game involving radical changes,

(01:32):
put his king into such a sharp and unnecessary pearlse
that it even provoked comment from the white haired old ladies,
sitting placidly by the fire. Hearketh wind, said mister White, who,
having seen a fatal mistake after it was too late,
was amiably desirous of preventing his son from seeing it.
I'm listening, said the latter, grimly, surveying the board as

(01:55):
he stretched out his hand check. I should hardly think
he'd come tonight, said his father, with his hand poise
over the board. Mate replied the son. That's the worst
of living so far out, bawled mister White, with sudden
and unlooked for violence. Of all the beastly, slushy, out
of the way places to live in, this is the

(02:17):
worst pathways a ball and the roads a torrent. I
don't know what people are thinking about. I suppose only
two houses on the road are let They think it
doesn't matter. Never mind, dear, said his wife soothingly. Perhaps
you win the next one. Mister White looked up sharply,
just in time to intercept a knowing glance between mother
and son. The words died away on his lips, and

(02:39):
he hid a guilty grin in his thin gray beard.
There he is, said Herbert White, as the gate banged
too loudly, and heavy footsteps came to the door. The
old man rose with hospitable haste, and opening the door,
was heard condoling with the new arrival. The new arrival
also condoled with himself, so that missus White said tut tut,

(03:01):
and coughed gently as her husband entered the room, followed
by a tall, burly man, beatty of eye, Sergeant Major Morris,
he said, introducing him. The Sergeant Major shook hands, taking
the proffered seat by the fire quite contentedly, while his
host got out tumblers and stood a small copper kettle
on the fire at third glass. His eyes got brighter,

(03:22):
and he began to talk the little family circle, regarding
with eager interest this visitor from distant parts, as he
squared his broad shoulders in the chair and spoke of
wild scenes and doughty deeds of war, and plagues and
strange peoples. Twenty one years of it, said mister White,
nodding at his wife and son. When he went away,

(03:44):
he was a slip of a youth in the warehouse.
Now look at him, he doesn't look to have taken
much harm, said missus White politely. I'd go to India myself,
said the old man, Just to look round a bit.
You know better where you are, said the sergeant major,
shaking his head. He put down the empty glass, sighed,

(04:05):
and took it up again. I should like to see
those old temples and fakirs and jugglers, said the old man.
What was it that you started telling me the other
day about a monkey's paw or something? Nothing, said the
soldier hastily, least away. It's nothing worth hearing monkey's paw,

(04:26):
said missus White curiously. Well it's just a bit of
what you might call magic, perhaps, said the sergeant major
off handily. His three listeners leaned forward eagerly. The visitor, absentindly,
put his empty glass to his lips, and then set
it down again. His host fielded for him to look at,
said the sergeant Major, fumbling in his pocket. It's just

(04:49):
just an ordinary little paw. Try to mummy. He took
something out of his pocket and proffered it. Missus White
drew back with a grimace. But her son, taking it,
examined it curiously. And what is there special about it?
Inquired mister White, as he took it from his son,
examined it, placed it upon the table It had a

(05:11):
spell put on it by an old fakir, said the
sergeant Major, a very holy man. He wanted to show
that fate ruled people's lives, and that those who interfered
with it did so to their sorrow. He put a
spell on it so that three separate men could each
have three wishes from it. His manner was so impressive

(05:32):
that his hearers were conscious that their light laughter jarred somewhat. Well, then,
why don't you have three, sir, said Herbert White cleverly.
The soldier regarded him in the way that Middle Ages
want to regard presumptuous youth. I have, he said quietly,
and his blushy face whitened. And did you really have

(05:57):
the three wishes? Granted asked I did, said the sergeant major,
and his glass tapped against his strong teeth. And has
anybody else wished? Persisted the old lady. The first man
had his three wishes? Yes, was the reply. I don't
know what the first two were, but the third was
for death. That's how I got the pull. His tones

(06:21):
were so grave that a hush fell upon the group.
If you had your three wishes, it's no good to
you now, then, Morris said the old man. At last,
what do you keep it for? The soldier shook his head.
Fancy I suppose, he said slowly. I did have some
idea of selling it, but I don't think I will.
It has cost enough mischief already. Besides, people won't buy.

(06:42):
They think it's a fairy tale. Some of them, those
who do think anything of it, will want to try
it first and pay me off towards. If you could
have another three wishes, said the old man, eyeing him keenly,
would you have them? I don't know, said the other.
I dunno. He took the paw, and, dangling it between

(07:03):
his forefinger and thumb, suddenly threw it upon the fire
white with a sharp cry, stoop down and snatched it off.
Better let it burn, said the soldier solemnly. If you
don't want it, morris, said the other, give it to me.
I won't, said his friend, doggedly. I threw it on
the fire. If you keep it, don't blame me for
what happens. Pitch it on the fire again, like a

(07:24):
sensible man. The other shook his head and examined his
new position closely. How do you do it, he inquired?
Hold it up? In your right hand and wish aloud,
said the Sergeant Major. But I warn you of the consequences.

(07:47):
Sounds like a Caribbean knights, said Missus s. White, as
she rose and began to set the supper. Don't you
think you might wish for four batter hands for me?
Her husband drew the talisman from pocket, and then all
three burst into laughter as the Sergeant Major, with a
look of alarm on his face, caught him by the arm.
If you must wish, he said, gruffly, wish for something sensible.

(08:11):
Mister White dropped it back in his pocket, and placing
chairs most to his fin to the table. In the
business of supper, the talisman was perptly forgotten, and afterwards
the three sat listening in an enthralled fashion to a
second installment of the Soldier's Adventures in India. If the
tale about the monkey's paw is not more truthful than
those he's been telling us, said Herbert, as the door

(08:34):
closed behind their guest, just in time for him to
catch the last train. You shan't make much out of it.
Did you give him anything for it? Father, inquired Missus White,
regarding her husband closely. Trifle, he said, coloring slightly. He
didn't want it, but I made him take it, and
he pressed me again to throw it away, likely, said Herbert,

(08:58):
with pretend horror. Why we're going to be rich and
famous and happy. Wish to be anip for her father
to begin with? Then you can't be him Pecked, he
darted round the table, pursued by the maligned missus s. White,
armed with a brush. Mister White took the pot from
his pocket and eyed mystubiously. I don't know what to
wish for, and that's a fact, he said slowly. It

(09:22):
seems to me I've got all I want. If you
only cleared the house, you'd be quite happy, wouldn't you,
said Herbert, with his hand on his shoulder. Well, wish
for two hundred pounds, then that'll just do it. His father,
smiling shamefacedly at his own credulty, held up a talisman

(09:44):
and as his son, with a solemn face somewhat marred
by a wink at his mother, sat down at the
piano and struck a few impressive cords. I wish for
two hundred pounds, said the old man, distinctly. A fine
crash from the anna greeted the words, interrupted by a
shuddering cry from the old man. His wife and son

(10:04):
ran toward him. It moved, He cried with a glance
of disgust at the object as it lay on the floor.
As I wished, it twisted in my hand like a snake. Oh,
I don't see the money, said his son, as he
picked it up and placed it on the table. My bet,
I never shall. It must have been your fancy father,
said his wife, regarding him anxiously. He shook his head.

(10:27):
Who never mind, though there's no harm done, But it
gave me a shock all the same. They sat down
by the fire again while the two men finished their pipes. Outside,
the wind was higher than ever, and the old man
started nervously at the sound of a door banging upstairs.
A silence, unusual and depressing settled upon all three, which
lasted until the old couple rose to retire for the night.

(10:50):
I expect you'll find the cash tied up in a
big bag in the middle of your bed, said Herbert
as he bade them good night. And something horrible squatting
on top of the wardrobe. You as you pocket your
ill gotten games. He sat alone in the darkness, gazing
at the dying fire, and seeing faces in it. The
last's face was so horrible and so scinnying, that he

(11:13):
gazed at it in amazement, got so vivid that, with
a little uneasy laugh, he felt on the table for
a glass containing a little water to throw of it.
His hand gasped the monkey's paw, and with a little shiver,
he wiped his hand on his coat and went up
to bed. Part two. In the brightness of the wintry
sun next morning, as he streamed over the breakfast table,

(11:34):
he laughed at his fears. There was an air of
prosaic wholesomeness about the room, which had lacked on the
previous night, and the dirty, shriveled little Paul was pitched
on the sideboard with a carelessness which betokened no great
belief in his virtues. I suppose old soldiers are all
the same, said missus White, the idea of our listening
to such nonsense? How could wishes be granted in these days?

(11:56):
And if they could, how could two hundred pounds hurt?
Your father might drop on his head from the sky,
said the frivolous Herbert Mars said. The things happened so naturally,
said his father that you might, if you so wished,
attributed to coincidence. Well, don't break into the money before
I come back, said Herbert, as he rose from the table.

(12:19):
I'm afraid it'll turn you into a main avaricious man,
and we shall have to disown you. His mother laughed, and,
following him to the door, watched him down the road, and,
returning to the breakfast table, was very happy at the
expense of her husband's credulty, all of which did not
prevent her from scirring to the door at the postman's knock,
nor prevent her from referring somewhat shortly to retired Sergeant

(12:41):
Major's of Bilbil's habits when she found that the post
brought a tailor's bill. Herbert will have some more of
his funny remarks, I expect when he comes home, she said,
as they sat at dinner, I dare say, said mister White,
pouring himself off some beard. But for all that, the
thing being moved in my hand, I'll swear to it.

(13:04):
You thought it did, said the old lady soothingly. I
say it did, replied the other. There was no thought
about it. I had, just what's the matter? His wife
made no reply. She was watching the mysterious movements of
a man outside, who, peering in an undecided fashion at

(13:25):
the house, appeared to be trying to make up his
mind to enter. In mental connection with the two hundred pounds,
she noticed that the stranger was well dressed and wore
a silk hat of glossy newness. Three times he paused
at the gate and walked on again. The fourth time
he stood with his hand upon it, and then, with

(13:47):
sudden resolution, flung it open and walked up the path.
Missus White, at the same moment, placed her hands behind her,
and hurriedly unfastening the strings of her apron, put that
useful article of a beneath the cushion of her chair.
She brought the stranger, who seemed ill at ease, into
the room. He gazed at her furtively and listened in
a preoccupied fashion as the old lady apologized for the

(14:10):
appearance of the room and her husband's coat, a garment
which he usually reserved for the garden. She then waited
as patiently as her sex would permit for him to
birch his business, but he was at first strangely silent.
I was asked to call he said at last, and

(14:30):
stooped and picked a piece of cotton from his trousers.
I come from maw and Megan's, the old lady started,
Is anything the matter, she asked, breathlessly, Has anything happened
to her? But what is it? What is it? Her
husband interposed, There there, mother, sit down, and don't jump
to conclusion. You've not brought brad news. I'm sure, sir,

(14:55):
he eyed, the other wistfully. Sorry began the visitor, demanded
the mother wildly. The visitor bowed in assent, badly, badly,
hurd he said, quietly. But he's not in any pain. Oh,
thank God, said the old woman, clasping her hands. Thank
God for that. Thank She broke off suddenly, as the

(15:18):
sinister meaning of the assurance dawned upon her, and she
saw the awful confirmation of her fears in the other's
perverted face. She caught her breath, and, turning to her
slower with his husband, laid her trembling old hand upon his.
There was a long silence. He was caught in the machinery,

(15:39):
said the visitor at length, in a low voice. Caught
in the machinery, repeated mister White in a dazed fashion. Yes.
He stared blankly out at the window, and taking his
wife's hand between his own, pressed it, as he had
been wont to do during their old courting days nearly
forty years before. He was the only one loved to us,

(16:01):
he said, turning gently to the visitor, It is hard.
The other coughed, and rising, walked slowly to the window.
The firm wished me to convey their sincere sympathy with
you and your great loss, he said, without looking round.
I beg that you will understand I am only their
servant and merely obeying orders. There was no reply. The
old woman's face was white, her eyes staring, her breath,

(16:23):
and audible on the husband's face was a look such
as his friend the Sergeant, might have carried into his
first action. I was to say that Ma and Megan's
disclaim all responsibility continued the other. They admit no liability
at all, but in consideration of your son's services, they
wished to resent you with a certain sum as compensation.

(16:45):
Mister White dropped his wife's hand, and, rising to his feet,
gazed with a look of horror at his visitor. His
dry lips shaped the words how much two hundred pounds,
was the answer. Unconscious of his wife's shriek, the old
man smiled faintly, put out his hands like a sightless man,

(17:06):
and dropped a senseless heap to the floor. Part three,
two miles distant, the old people buried their dead and
came back to a house steeped in shadow and silence.
It was all over so quickly that at first they
could hardly realize it, and remained in a state of expectation,
as though of something else to happen, something else which

(17:28):
was to lighten this load too heavy for old hearts
to bear. But the days passed, an expectation gave place
to resignation. The hopeless resignation of the old sometimes miscalled apathy.
Sometimes they hardly exchanged the word, for now they had
nothing to talk about, and their days were long to weariness.

(17:51):
It was about a week after that the old man,
spaking suddenly in the night, stretched out his hand and
found himself alone. The room was in darkness, and the
sound of subdued weeping came from the window. He raised
himself in the bed and listened. Come back, he said, tenderly,
you will be cold. It is colder, for my son,

(18:14):
said the old woman, and wept afresh. The sound of
her sobs died away on his ears. The bed was warm,
and his eyes heavy with sleep. He dozed fitfully, and
then slept unto a sudden wild cry from his wife.
Awoke with a start. The pa she cried, whitely, the
monkey's paw. He started up in alarm. Where where is it?

(18:37):
What's the matter? She came, stumbling across the room to him.
I want it, she said, quietly. You do not destroyed it.
It's in the parlor on the bracket, he replied, marveling.
Why she cried and laughed together, and, bending over it
kissed his cheek. I only just thought of it, she said, hysterically.
Why didn't I think of it before? Why didn't you

(19:00):
think of it? Think of what? He questioned? The other
two wishes? She replied rapidly. We've only had one. Was
that not enough, he demanded, firstly, No, she cried rumphantly.
We'll have one more. Go down and get it quickly,
and wish our boy alive again. The man set up

(19:20):
in bed and flung the bedclothes from his quaking limbs.
Good God, you are mad, he cried. Aghast, Get it,
she panted, get it quickly in wish. Oh, my boy,
my boy. Her husband struck a match and lit a candle.
Get back to bed, he said, unsteadily. You don't know

(19:41):
what you were saying. We had our first wish granted,
said the old woman feverishly. Why not the second coincidence,
stammered the old man. Go and get it and wish,
cried his wife, crowing with acitement. The old man turned
and regarded her, and his voice shook. He has been

(20:04):
dead ten days, and besides he I would not tell
you else, but I could only recognize him by his clothing.
If he was too terrible for you to see, then
how now bring him back, cried the old woman, and

(20:25):
dragged him towards the door. Do you think I fear
the child? I nursed. He went down in the darkness
and felt his way to the parlor, and then to
the mantelpiece. The talisman was in his place, and a
horrible fear that the unspoken wish might bring his mutilated
son before him ere he could escape from the room
seized upon him, and he caught his breath as he

(20:49):
found that he had not lost the direction of the door.
Cold with sweat, he felt his way round the table
and groped along the wall until he found himself in
the small passage with the unwholesome thing in his hand.
Even his wife's face seemed changed as he entered the room.
It was white and expectant, and to his fears, seemed

(21:11):
to have an unnatural look upon it. He was afraid
for wish, she cried in a strong voice. It is
foolish and wicked. He faltered. Wish, repeated his wife. He
raised his hand, I wish my son alive again. The

(21:35):
talisman fell to the floor, and he regarded it fearfully.
Then he sank, trembling into a chair, as the old
woman with burning eyes walked to the window and raised
the blind. He sat until he was chilled with the cold,
glancing occasionally at the figure of the old woman peering
through the window. The candle inn, which had burned below
the rim of the china candlestick, was throwing pulsetting shadows

(21:58):
on the ceiling and walls, until with a flicker larger
than the rest despired. The old man, with an unspeakable
sense of relief at the failure of the talisman, crept
back to his bed, and a minute or two afterward,
the old woman came silently and apathetically behind him. Neither

(22:21):
spoke but lay silently listening to the ticking of the clock.
A stair creaked, and a squeaky mouse scurried noisily through
the wall. The darkness was oppressive, and after lying for
some time, screwing up his courage, he took the box
of matches, and, striking one, went downstairs for a candle.

(22:44):
At the foot of the stairs. The match went out,
and he paused to strike another, and at the same
moment a knock, saw quiet and stealthy as to be
scarcely audible sound on the front door. The matches fell
from his hand and spiled it to the passage. He
stood motionless, his breath suspended until the knock was repeated.

(23:07):
Then he turned and fled swiftly back to his room
and closed the door behind him. Third knock sounded throughout
the house. What's that, cried the old woman, starting up.
A rat, said the old man, in shaking tones, A rat.
It passed me on the stairs. His wife set up
in bed, listening. A loud knock resounded throughout the house.

(23:33):
Is Herbert? Is Herbert? She screamed, is Herbert. She ran
to the door, but her husband was before her, and,
catching her by the arm, held her tightly. What are
you going to do, he whispered hoarsely. It's my boy,
it's Herbert, she cried, struggling mechanically. I forgot it was

(23:54):
two miles away. What are you holding me for? Let
me go. I must open the door, for God. Don't
let it in, cried the old man, trembling. You're afraid
of your own son. She cried, struggling, Let me go.
I'm coming, Herbert, I'm coming. There was another knock, and another.

(24:17):
The old woman, with a sudden wrench, broke free and
ran from the room. Her husband followed to the landing
and called after her repeatingly. As she hurried downstairs. He
heard the chain rattle back and the bottom bolt drawn
shortly and stiffly from the socket. Then the old woman's voice,
strained and panting the bolt. She cried loudly, come down,

(24:40):
I can't reach it. But her husband was on his
hands and knees, groping wildly on the floor in search
of the paw. If he could only find it before
the thing got inside, A perfect fuselage of knocks reverberated
throughout the house, and he heard the scraping of a
chair as his wife put it down in the passage
against the door. He heard the creaking of the bolt

(25:02):
as he came slowly back, and at the same moment
he found the monkey's paw and frantically breathed his third
and last wish. The knocking ceased suddenly, although the echoes
of it were still in the house. He heard the
chair drawn back and the door opened. A cold wind

(25:26):
rushed up the staircase, and a long whirl of disappointment
and misery from his wife gave him courage to run
to her side, and then to the gate beyond the street.
Lamp flickering opposite shone on a quiet and deserted rode.

(26:02):
And that's it for today with our encore Halloween's special
story of the Monkey Spaw. We'll be back again next
week with continuation of the King Arthur Brown Table Stories.
Feel free to share this podcast with your family, with
your friends, with everybody, and if you need a little

(26:24):
more inspiration in between podcast episodes, feel free to visit
our coffee page. You can find the website address in
the show notes. Over there, you'll find more motivation, inspiration,
inspiration on media, and if you like, you can buy
some coffee, yes please, or just have a look around,

(26:45):
enjoy and get inspired. And if you fancy a bit
of clothing, there are some pages ready for you, ready
and waiting for you to download for free and color.
So good sleep, have good night. See the story wasn't

(27:05):
too scary. Bluish your eyes and go to sleep. We'll
be with you again next week. Bye for now. I

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