King Midas
King Midas is a very rich man. A very, very rich man. King Midas loves nothing more than gold.
Or does he? What happens when Midas finds a man asleep in his garden? Hear what he wishes for. Find out what happens next. Enjoy what happens in the end.
This is a happy story. It is a myth from hundreds of years ago.
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King Midas
A Tales of Time adaptation of the myth.
Many, Many years ago in Greece, there lived a great king. His name was Midas. King Midas was very rich. Very, very rich in fact. It was said that he had more gold than any other king in the world. He loved gold.
King Midas also had a daughter whom he loved dearly and who lived with him at the palace.
One day, King Midas found a man asleep under a tree in his garden. The man’s name was Silenus and he had had too much to drink. He had wandered around looking for home and fallen over under the tree. Midas recognised the man and took him inside to rest. For 10 days King Midas made Silenus his guest at the palace. He was treated very well and politely.
On the eleventh day, King Midas brought Silenus back to his home where his son, Bacchus was looking for him. Bacchus was so relieved to see Silenus fine and well that he offered Midas a gift of whatever he wanted.
Now Midas didn’t have to think very long about it. Gold! He didn’t just want lots of gold – he wanted everything he touched to turn to gold! Bacchus was happy to grant him his wish.
So King Midas went away very pleased with his new power and he wanted to put it to the test immediately. So he touched a twig. And sure enough, the twig turned to gold. Then he touched a stone, which too turned to gold!
Overjoyed, he rushed home, touching everything he could find and turning it to gold. He ordered a great banquet for himself as he wanted to celebrate, but as he reached for the meat, it turned to gold, and so did the bread, and the fruit and the spoon and his wine! He couldn’t touch anything without it turning to gold. He suddenly realised how stupid his wish had been. He felt very sad. He was sure to die if he couldn’t eat or drink.
Just then, his daughter whom he loved more than anyone else in the world came dancing in to the room. She saw her father was looking sad. So she ran up and gave him a hug! The poor darling was instantly turned to gold and stood lifelessly in front of him. His heart ached at the loss of her and he was so angry with himself for his wish which he now hated.
He returned to Bacchus and pleaded with him to remove the wish – he no longer loved gold. Bacchus told him to wash himself in the river Pactolus and that the river would wash the wish away.
King Midas hurried down to the river without delay and jumped in! The power of turning everything into gold passed out of Midas and into the river. The waters turned the sands gold. King Midas took some of the water to rescue his daughter and never loved gold again!
The End.
©Tales of Time 2008