"The Monkey's Paw" by William Wymark Jacobs

Jacobs died in 1943, just as his most famous story was included in yet another anthology which he didn't live to see published. It is a bit ironic that in the eight decades of his life, Jacobs produced many novels and short story collections, but only one story, from a relatively early collection (just about when he was getting married), outlived all his other works and became the token for his creative output and his life of creative endeavors. 

Jacobs mostly wrote lighthearted prose about the Sea and Seamen, and the supernatural stories he wrote were never his priority or preoccupation.  And yet "The Monkey's Paw" has come out to be one of the most imitated, replicated, anthologized, remade in various media and resurrected over and over work in literature in general.  Even well into the 21st century the story is still being remade in film, video and online media.

It is a short story, but impactful.  Future versions and remakes have added that the mummified monkey's paw would contract one finger each time a wish is made, and at the count of three wishes, it would extend all fingers again, ready for the next unfortunate person to be punished for wanting to change destiny in such a trivial way. In the original story the paw merely moves and vibrates each time a wish is granted.

And who can forget the terror of the last page when the knocking on the door becomes louder, while the tearful mother is fumbling with the lock, the father exasperatedly pronouncing the last wish for the "thing" outside to be no more.  And only the night and the wind await the mother when she finally manages to unlock the door.  For the best.