你是否曾在流星落下時閉眼許愿？當一道星光劃過，我們總相信愿望是照亮未來的魔法。

但在維多利亞時代的英國鄉間，一只來自印度的干癟猴爪，卻將這種幻想撕得粉碎！

它確實能實現任何愿望，只是每份"禮物"都裹著帶血的包裝紙。

當懷特一家從戰場歸來的老友手中接過這件異域"紀念品"時，他們不會想到，這個潮濕的冬夜將永遠改變"心想事成"的定義。

如果你能許三個必實現的愿望，敢不敢接住這只干枯的猴爪？

讓我們回到那個暴雨傾盆的夜晚，壁爐里的木柴被燒的噼啪作響，而命運的齒輪已悄然轉動...

Outside, the night was cold and wet. But inside the small living room of Laburnum Villa, the curtains were closed, and the fire was burning brightly. Mr. White and his son, Herbert, were playing chess. Mr. White took big risks in the game, making his king unsafe. This made his wife, who was knitting by the fire, smile quietly.

"Listen to the wind," said Mr. White. He had just made a mistake and wanted to distract his son.

"I'm listening," said Herbert, looking at the board carefully. He moved his piece. "Check."

Curtain 窗簾

Knitting 編織...

Distract 分心，轉移注意力

Check “將軍”（國際象棋里的）

"I don't think he's coming tonight," said Mr. White, his hand above the board.

"Checkmate," replied Herbert.

Mr. White was upset. "This place is terrible!" he said. "The road is muddy, and the path is flooded. Only two houses are rented here, and people think it doesn’t matter."

"Don’t worry, dear," said his wife. "Maybe you'll win next time."

Checkmate “將死”（國際象棋里的）

Muddy 泥濘的

Lottery 抽獎，摸彩

Mr. White smiled, seeing a knowing look between his wife and son. He hid his smile behind his grey beard.

"There he is," said Herbert, as the gate banged and heavy footsteps came to the door.

Mr. White opened the door quickly. He greeted the visitor, who was also complaining about the weather. Mrs. White said, "Tut, tut!" as her husband came in with a tall man with red cheeks and bright eyes.

"This is Sergeant-Major Morris," said Mr. White.

Banged "砰"的一聲

Sergeant-Major 軍士長

They all shook hands. The sergeant-major sat by the fire as Mr. White brought out some whiskey and glasses.

After three drinks, the sergeant-major's eyes got brighter. He started talking about his travels. Mr. White, his wife, and Herbert listened with interest as he spoke about wars, strange places, and people he had met.

"Twenty-one years in the army," said Mr. White. "When he left, he was just a young man working in a warehouse. Now look at him."

"He doesn’t look too bad," said Mrs. White kindly.

"I’d like to visit India," said Mr. White. "Just to look around."

"You're better off here," said the sergeant-major, shaking his head. He sighed and put down his glass.

"I’d like to see those temples and magic shows," said Mr. White. "What was that you told me about a monkey’s paw?"

"Nothing important," the sergeant-major said quickly. "Just a bit of magic."

"A monkey's paw?" said Mrs. White, curious.

"It’s just a little magic thing," said the sergeant-major, pretending not to care.

Warehouse 倉庫

Pretend 假裝

The family leaned forward, interested. The sergeant-major took a small, dried paw out of his pocket.

Mrs. White looked away, but Herbert picked it up to look at it.

"What’s special about it?" asked Mr. White.

"A holy manput a spell on it," said the sergeant-major. "He wanted to show that fate controls our lives, and if we try to change it, bad things happen. The paw gives three wishes to three different men."

The family stopped smiling. The sergeant-major looked serious.

"Why don't you wish for something?" asked Herbert.

"I did," the sergeant-major said quietly. His face looked pale.

Holy man 圣人

Put a spell on...施咒語于...

Pale 蒼白的

"Did your wishes come true?" asked Mrs. White.

"Yes," he said, his hand shaking.

"Did anyone else wish?" asked Mrs. White.

"Yes. The first man wished for something bad. His third wish was for death. That’s how I got the paw."

The room was silent.

"If you've used your wishes, why do you still have the paw?" asked Mr. White.

"I don’t know," the sergeant-major said. "Maybe because I don’t want to sell it. It caused me enough trouble. People think it’s just a story."

"If you could have three more wishes, would you take them?" asked Mr. White.

"I don’t know," he said.

Suddenly, he threw the paw into the fire. Mr. White quickly took it out.

"Let it burn," said the sergeant-major seriously.

"If you don’t want it, give it to me," said Mr. White.

"No," said the sergeant-major. "If you keep it, don’t blame me for what happens. Throw it back in the fire."

Cause trouble 給...制造麻煩

Blame for指責或歸咎于某人/某事

But Mr. White shook his head. "How do you use it?" he asked.

"Hold it in your right hand and wish out loud," said the sergeant-major. "But be careful."

"It sounds like a story from Arabian Nights," said Mrs. White. "Why don’t you wish for some extra hands for me?"

They all laughed. Mr. White put the paw in his pocket, and they ate supper.

Later, Herbert joked, "Wish for two hundred pounds, Dad. That would pay off the house."

Mr. White smiled, held the paw, and said, "I wish for two hundred pounds."

Arabian Nights 《一千零一夜》

Pay off 償還債務

Suddenly, the paw twisted in his hand. He cried out and dropped it.

"It moved!" he said.

"It was just your imagination," said Herbert.

They all sat by the fire, feeling a little nervous. Outside, the wind blew harder.

Herbert joked, "Maybe the money will appear in your bed, and something scary will watch you take it."

Later, Herbert went to bed. The old couple sat quietly by the fire.