Greek Myth

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Retold by The Legendary Connection

TLC#00167

Once upon a time, there was a very rich king named Midas who loved gold more than anything in the world. Well, almost anything—he did love his little daughter, whom we'll call Marygold, because her real name has been forgotten. Midas thought the best way to take care of Marygold was to leave her with a mountain of gold that would last her forever.

King Midas was so obsessed with gold that he wanted everything he saw to turn into it. He barely noticed the flowers in his garden anymore, except to wish they were gold. When Marygold brought him a handful of yellow buttercups, he’d only sigh, “If these were real gold, then they’d be worth picking!”

One day, while Midas was admiring his treasure in a dark basement room of his palace, a shadow appeared. It was a stranger with a warm, golden glow, as if he were made of sunlight. The stranger smiled at Midas and said, “You are very rich, but you don’t seem satisfied. What more could you want?”

Midas thought carefully. “I want everything I touch to turn into gold,” he said. The stranger’s smile grew brighter. “Are you sure? Will that truly make you happy?”

“Oh, yes,” Midas replied, imagining how he would touch rocks, flowers, and furniture, turning everything into gold.

The stranger nodded. “Then, at sunrise tomorrow, you will have your wish.” And with that, the stranger disappeared.

The next morning, Midas was eager to test his new power. He touched the blanket on his bed, and it turned to pure gold. He laughed with excitement and ran around his palace, touching chairs, tables, even a glass of water—each one turned to gold.

Midas went out to his garden, where beautiful roses were in bloom. He gently touched the petals, and they became golden, too. But Marygold, who loved the roses, was sad to see them lose their color and fragrance.

When breakfast was served, Midas was very hungry. He picked up a piece of bread, but as soon as he touched it, it turned to gold. He tried to drink his coffee, but it turned to solid gold as well. No matter what he touched, he couldn’t eat or drink anything. He was puzzled but still enchanted by his golden treasures.

Just then, Marygold came into the room, holding one of the golden roses, tears in her eyes. “Father, what happened to the roses? They used to be so beautiful.”

Midas tried to comfort her and, forgetting his magical touch, hugged her. In that instant, his dear Marygold turned into a golden statue, her face frozen in surprise and sadness.

King Midas cried out in horror. “What have I done?” He now realized that all the gold in the world was worth nothing if he couldn’t have his beloved daughter back.

Just then, the stranger appeared again. “Well, King Midas,” he said, “how is the Golden Touch?”

“Please take it away!” begged Midas. “I don’t want any more gold. I just want my daughter back.”

The stranger nodded kindly. “Go to the river that flows near your palace, wash yourself in its waters, and bring some back to sprinkle on anything you wish to return to normal.”

Midas rushed to the river, dipped himself in, and filled a pitcher with water. He hurried back to the palace and sprinkled the water over Marygold, who, to his joy, returned to life. She blinked up at him, wondering why he was crying.

Next, Midas went to his garden and sprinkled water over the golden roses, which soon bloomed in their original colors and scent. From that day forward, Midas learned to value the simple and precious things in life, especially the love of his dear daughter.

He never wished for gold again, finding more joy in the things he once took for granted. And sometimes, he would tell Marygold’s children the story of the Golden Touch, warning them to be careful what they wished for.

Hawthorne, Nathaniel. “A Wonder Book and Tanglewood Tales, for Girls and Boys.” Https://Www.gutenberg.org/Files/35377/35377-h/35377-H.htm, 23 Feb. 2011, www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/35377/pg35377-images.html#THE_GOLDEN_TOUCH. Accessed 26 July 2024.