_In which a foolish king became miserable from too great desire for
wealth._
King Midas was a very foolish king who wanted more money than
anybody else in the world had. One day after he had done a kindness
to the god Dionysius, the god said to him:
“Choose what you would like best. I will grant it to you.”
Midas at once said: “Grant that everything I touch may turn to
gold.”
Dionysius said: “It shall be as you desire, but I tell you that you
have made a very foolish request.”
Midas went away very proud and happy. He broke off the branch from
an oak tree, and it turned into a solid rod of gold. He took up
a stone out of the road, and it became a solid lump of gold. He
plucked a rose from his garden, and it became a golden flower in
his hand. He reached up and gathered an apple from a tree, and it
changed to shining gold.
“Now, I shall be rich indeed,” he said. “Richer than anybody,” and
he began to sing and dance, thinking of his wonderful powers.
When he entered his palace he ordered his servants to bring him
all the cups and dishes in his house. Then he touched them and
they became gold cups and dishes. He ordered them to bring him the
table at which he ate. He touched it and it became a gold table. He
touched his chair and it became a gold chair. Then he put his hands
on his coat, his hat, and his trousers, and they became gold, so
stiff and heavy that he could hardly walk.
“Now, indeed, I shall feast like the noblest men,” said the king.
“Bring me in the finest food and wine you can get.”
The servants put before him the best food and wine that could be
procured, but as soon as Midas touched it it all became hard gold.
He could not eat the bread, nor the meat, nor the fruit. They were
all gold as soon as he touched them. The wine was like molten gold
in the glass and he could not drink it.
“I shall starve to death with all this gold!” cried the poor
foolish old king. Just then his daughter came in and kissed him.
At once she was turned into a statue of gold. Seeing this, the
servants fled and left him alone in his misery.
He ran back to Dionysius and cried: “Take away this golden touch,
for I am very unhappy and about to starve!”
The god told him to bathe in the river Pactolus, and he bathed
himself and his daughter in the river. Then he was where he began.
She became flesh and blood again, and Midas could eat his food like
other people.
But the sand of the river sparkled like gold ever afterwards, and
his daughter had beautiful golden hair the rest of her life.