Shorts Stories 2

SHORT STORY 4 

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.

SHORT STORY 3 

You Can't Have Everything You Want

This is a story from India. Gopal lived with his wife, Nataki, in a small house near a river. They were very poor. Every day Gopal went to the river to get fish. He had a net. Sometimes there were two or three fish in the net. Then he went home to Nataki and said, "We can eat today." Sometimes there were no fish in the net. Then Gopal didn't eat.

Gopal was always happy, because he liked the river. But Nataki was not happy. One day Gopal saw a very big fish in his net. "Good," he said. "We're going to eat today, and tomorrow too." But the fish opened its mouth and said, "Don't kill me. Put me back in the water. I want to live."

"But...." said Gopal.

"Please," said the fish.

"My wife isn't going to be happy about this," said Gopal.

"Then tell her about me," said the fish, "but please, put me back in the water." So Gopal put it back. He went home without any fish.

"No fish today?" said Nataki. "Oh Gopal."

"There was one very big fish," said Gopal, "but I put it back in the water."

"You what?"

"I put it back in the river."

"You had a big fish and you put it back in the water? But we have no food."

"The fish talked," said Gopal.

"What?"

"It talked. It said, 'Tell your wife

"Oh," said Nataki.

Then she said, "Tomorrow morning, Gopal, go to the river. Get the big fish in your net

again. Then ask for something."

"Ask for what?"

"Some food," said Nataki. "And a new red dress for me."

So Gopal went to the river in the morning and the big fish jumped into his net.

"Yes?" it said.

"Nataki wants some food for us, and a new red dress."

"Then put me in the water, and go home, Gopal."

Gopal went home. There was food on the table, and Nataki had a new red dress.

"Beautiful," said Gopal. "Are you happy now?"

"No, I want a good dinner and a new dress every day. Ask the fish tomorrow."

So in the morning Gopal went to the river. The big fish jumped into his net.

"Yes?" it said.

"Nataki wants a good dinner and a new dress every day."

"She can't have everything she wants," said the fish.

"I know," said Gopal.

"Then put me in the water, and go home."

Gopal went home. There was a good dinner on the table, and Nataki had a new blue dress.

"Beautiful," said Gopal. "Are you happy now?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I want a big house," said Nataki, "and some new tables and chairs. Ask the fish."

So in the morning Gopal went to the river, and the big fish jumped into his net.

"Yes?" it said.

"Nataki wants a big house and some new tables and chairs."

"She can't have everything she wants."

"I know," said Gopal.

"Put me in the water and go home," said the fish. Gopal went home. Nataki, in a new white dress, was in a new armchair.

"Happy now?" said Gopal.

"No."

"You can't have everything you want."

"Can't I? This is a big house now. I want two girls and a man—three servants for the work in the house. I can't do it all."

Gopal went back to the river in the morning and the big fish jumped into his net.

"Yes?" it said.

"She wants servants."

"How many?"

"Two girls and a man," said Gopal.

"Put me in the water and go home."

Gopal went home. Nataki had three servants.

"Aren't you happy now?" said Gopal.

"No."

"Why not?"

"I want some money," said Nataki. "I want money for the servants. And I want some rings for my ears."

In the morning Gopal went to the river, and the big fish jumped into his net.

"Yes?" it said.

"She wants money for the servants, and some earrings. "

"She can't have all the things she wants."

"I know," said Gopal.

"Put me in the water and go home."

Gopal went home. There was a lot of money on the table, and Nataki had some new earrings.

"Beautiful," said Gopal. "Now you must be happy. You have all the things you want."

"No," said Nataki.

"What?"

"I want this country. It must all be mine. I want to be Queen of this country."

"You're my Queen."

"I want to be Queen of this country. Tell the fish tomorrow."

In the morning Gopal went to the river and the big fish jumped into his net.

"Yes?" it said

"She wants to be Queen of this country."

The fish said nothing.

"I know," said Gopal. "She can't have everything she wants."

"That's right," said the fish. "Put me back in the water and go home. Oh, and Gopal...."

"Yes?"

"Goodbye" said the fish.

Gopal went home. Nataki was in the old house. She had no food, no new dresses, no new tables and chairs, no servants, no earrings, nothing.

She looked at Gopal. "Go back to the river now!" she said.

Gopal went to the river. But the big fish wasn't there. It never jumped into his net again.