King Midas sat in his treasure-house, counting out his money. He was surrounded by gold, for Midas was one of the richest kings in all Greece and thought there was nothing in the world better or more beautiful than gold.
Suddenly, through the window, he saw and old man sleeping under a tree. The stranger stirred and sat up. He was Silenus from the court of Dionysus, God of Wine. Midas was honoured to have such a guest, and feasted Silenus for ten days before taking him back to Dionysus on Mount Olympus.
They found Dionysus resting in his vineyard, eating a bunch of grapes. "I'm very grateful to you, Midas," he said. "Silenus is a dear old friend, and you have shown him great kindness. Ask your reward and I shall grant it."
Now the King knew that Dionysus could grant all manner of wonderful things, and at once his thoughts turned to gold. Gold was what he wanted - gold and more gold and yet more gold.
"Grant that everything I touch
turns to gold!" he said.
"Your wish is granted Midas, but you'll live to regret such
greed. Mark my words!"
Midas was so excited at his wish being granted that he leaped into his chariot to gallop home and tell everyone. As soon as his feet touched the floor or the chariot, it turned to solid gold! Midas shouted for joy as his tunic and cloak and sandals all turned to gold too.
And when he got home, the doors of the palace turned to gold at his touch. So did the cobble stones of the courtyard as his feet touched them. So did the flower he picked from the palace garden. It lost its scent and colour immediately, but Midas did not care. He would keep it in his treasure-house for ever - more precious than a hundred garden flowers.
"I'm rich, I'm rich! I'm the richest man in the world!" shouted Midas to his servants. I'll make you all rich, if you like! Look! I can turn this wall into gold. I can turn the whole palace into solid gold!" And he gave his horse an affectionate pat. Its hooves clattered once on the golden cobbles, then it was still - as still as a golden statue.
Slowly walking to his library - for his golden clothes were beginning to feel very heavy - Midas touched the shelves and the scrolls with his fingers. They all turned golden in front of his very eyes.
"Bring me some food," he called to a servant, with a chuckle.
When he saw the golden tiles, the golden pillars, the golden papers, and the golden paint peeling in pretty curls off the wall, the servant stared in amazement. He set the food down in front of the King, together with a
bowl of water for Midas to wash his
hands. But as the King dipped his fingers into the water it
turned to solid gold. He gasped, and slowly
picked up a piece of bread. Instantly it tuned into a lump of
gold. And when Midas went to drink the wine, it too turned golden
in the goblet.
Midas reached out and snatched the servant's arm. "What will I do? I can't eat or drink!"
The servant did not reply. He stood as still as a statue, staring at Midas with hard, golden eyes, set in a golden face. He was gold from head to foot.
"Father! Father! Make my wagon golden." "And my dish and spoon!" the King's young son and daughter ran into the room, their arms outstretched.
Midas tried to warn them, but as they ran up to him and kissed him and hugged him, they turned into two solid lumps of gold.
Tears fell from his eyes. Tink, tink, tink - the beads of water fell in golden droplets down on to the floor.
By the time Midas returned to the vineyards on Mount Olympus, he was bowed down with weariness under the weight of his golden clothes. He longed to be free of his golden touch! How he longed to eat the glistening purple grapes that hung in clusters on the vines! But he knew that was impossible.
"Well, Midas?" said a loud, laughing voice. "Do you have enough gold yet to satisfy your greed?"
"I hate the sight of gold," said Midas, groaning in despair. "Why did you ever grant my foolish wish. I cannot eat or drink and my poor dear children have turned into solid gold. I beg you Dionysus, rid me of this terrible curse."
Dionysus laughed to see how Midas had changed in one short day. But at last he took pity on him. "Go to the River Pactolus and wash yourself from head to foot," he commanded.
Midas stood beside the river, and hesitated. Would the muddy water turn to gold and crush him to death? Slowly, he knelt down and scooped up a handful of water. Raising his hand to his head he let the water trickle through his hair and over his golden body. Slowly, little flakes of gold fell into the river, and settled on the river bed.
Again and again Midas scooped up the handfuls of water and bathed himself until he saw he was no longer golden. And when he ran his hands over the green grass growing on the river bank it did not turn to gold. He saw a tall water jug lying by the river. Filling it with water, Midas ran frantically back to his palace.
There he bathed the two golden statues that were his children. As he did so, his daughter put her arms around his neck and kissed him and his son went on chattering as if he had never been turned into gold... "And can you make the earth gold, and the sea and the sky?"
"Hush now," said Midas. "Don't speak to me of gold. I never want to see gold again. Now help me fetch some water from the river. I'm going to wash every inch of the palace."
And so he did. First his servant, then his horse, then the walls and the floors, and finally the pillars, shelves and doors of his library. Soon the only gold left in Midas's kingdom lay locked in his treasure-house. Apart, that is, from the scattered little flakes of gold lying undiscovered on the bed of the River Pactolus.
Story Time � 1984-1989 by Rubicon Press CC