William Wymark Jacobs (8 September 1863 - 1 September 1943), was an English author of short stories and novels. Although much of his work was humorous, he is most famous for his horror story The Monkey's Paw. "The Monkey's Paw" is a horror short story by author W. W. Jacobs. It was published in England in 1902. The story is based on the famous "setup" in which three wishes are granted. In the story, the paw of a dead monkey is a talisman that grants its possessor three wishes, but the wishes come with an enormous price for interfering with fate. Great story to read.