W.W. Jacobs is best known for the truly terrifying 'The Monkey's Paw,' but 'The Bequest' shows his brilliant talent for mixing the absurd with the ominous. It's a masterclass in how to build tension from the most ridiculous situation.

The Story

A perfectly average man named Mr. Coffin learns he's been left a generous inheritance by a distant, eccentric relative. His joy is short-lived. The will has one very specific, very strange condition: to receive the money, he must provide a home for the relative's pet monkey, Abdul. It seems like a minor, if annoying, inconvenience. How bad could a little monkey be?

Famous last words. Abdul is not a cute, cuddly companion. He is an agent of pure, unadulterated chaos. He screeches, he steals, he destroys furniture, and he generally makes Mr. Coffin's life a living hell. The story follows Coffin's desperate and increasingly unhinged attempts to live with this tiny tyrant, all while dreaming of the wealth that dangles just out of reach. The question shifts from 'Can I do this?' to a much darker 'What won't I do to make this stop?'

Why You Should Read It

What I love about this story is how Jacobs uses humor to sharpen the horror. You laugh at Coffin's predicament—the ruined hats, the stolen meals—but that laughter gets nervous very quickly. The monkey becomes a symbol of every petty, inescapable annoyance in life, amplified to a maddening degree. Jacobs is playing with a deep human fear: losing control over your own home and sanity because of something you can't reason with.

Coffin is no hero; he's just a guy who wants an easier life, and that makes him incredibly relatable. We watch his polite frustration curdle into rage, and we understand it completely. The story is a sly look at greed, patience, and the hidden costs of 'easy' money.

Final Verdict

This is a perfect bite-sized story for anyone who enjoys classic tales with a twist. It's for readers who love the eerie vibe of 'The Monkey's Paw' but want something with a lighter, funnier touch at the start. It's also a great pick if you're short on time but want a complete narrative punch. You'll finish it in one sitting, and Abdul the monkey will stick in your memory far longer than you'd expect. A brilliant, darkly comic gem from a master storyteller.