The Sergeant-Major tells the Whites that an old fakir, or holy man, put a spell on the monkey's paw. By doing so, he wanted to show people that fate ultimately rules their lives and that it's both foolish and dangerous to defy it. Among other things, this means not wishing for something you don't already have. The story is a prime illustration of the old adage "Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it." Unfortunately, the Whites ignore the fakir's sage advice and proceed to treat the whole legend as a bit of a joke. Eventually, after the tragedy of losing his son, the most skeptical member of the family, Mr. White, finally realizes the truth of the fakir's warning, which is why he uses his third and final wish to stop the chilling knock at the door.
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