About the The golden touch of Midas story
Ready to pounce into a story that shows the danger of wanting too much? “The golden touch of Midas” is an ancient tale about King Midas, who wishes that everything he touches turns to gold. At first, it seems like the perfect gift, but soon he learns that even golden riches come with a cost.
This story was first told by the ancient Greeks and has been retold for centuries as a timeless lesson in the dangers of greed. In this article, you’ll find two versions: the original and a simplified graded reader for younger English learners. Your child will also answer fun questions at the end to reinforce vocabulary and comprehension.
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Let’s leap into the world of King Midas and discover why too much of a good thing isn’t always great!
The story of “King Midas and the golden touch”
Once upon a time, there was a king named Midas who ruled the kingdom of Phrygia. Midas was very rich and loved gold more than anything in the world. He would spend hours in his treasure room, admiring his gold coins, golden statues, and jewelry. But no matter how much gold he had, he always wanted more.
One day, Midas did a kind act for a wise and powerful god named Dionysus. To show his gratitude, Dionysus offered to grant the king one wish. Midas didn’t have to think long—he knew exactly what he wanted.
“I wish that everything I touch would turn to gold!” Midas exclaimed.
Dionysus frowned. “Are you sure? That is a dangerous wish,” the god warned.
But Midas was certain. “Yes, I am sure! With the golden touch, I will be the richest man in the world.”
Reluctantly, Dionysus granted the wish. “From now on, everything you touch will turn to gold,” he said. And with that, the god disappeared.
The golden touch
Midas couldn’t wait to test his new power. He reached out and touched a nearby table. Instantly, the table transformed into solid gold! Midas was overjoyed. He touched a chair—gold! He touched the curtains—gold! Everything he touched turned into beautiful, shining gold.
Laughing with delight, Midas walked through his palace, touching everything he could. Soon, his entire palace was glittering with gold. “This is wonderful!” Midas thought. “I am the richest king in the world!”
But as the day went on, Midas began to notice some problems with his wish. When he sat down to eat dinner, he picked up a piece of bread—poof! It turned to gold. He tried to drink some water, but the cup turned to gold in his hands, and the water became solid gold, too.
Midas’s heart sank. He was surrounded by gold, but he couldn’t eat or drink anything!
The most painful lesson
Midas was beginning to realize that his wish wasn’t as wonderful as he had imagined. But the worst was yet to come. As Midas sat in his golden palace, his daughter came running to him. She hugged him tightly, but as soon as his hands touched her, she turned to gold!
Midas was horrified. His beloved daughter, now a golden statue, stood frozen before him. Tears filled his eyes, and he cried out in despair. “What have I done?!”
Midas now understood the terrible consequences of his greed. The golden touch, which he thought would make him happy, had taken away everything that truly mattered—his food, his water, and worst of all, his daughter.
Undoing the golden touch
Desperate to undo his mistake, Midas called out to Dionysus, begging for help. “Please, take back this terrible gift! I no longer want the golden touch! I see now that it is a curse.”
Dionysus heard Midas’s cries and took pity on him. “I warned you, Midas, but you did not listen. However, I will give you a chance to make things right.”
The god told Midas to go to the river Pactolus and wash his hands in the water. “The river will wash away the golden touch, and everything you turned to gold will return to its normal form.”
Midas rushed to the river and dipped his hands into the water. As soon as the cool water touched his skin, he felt the curse lift. He hurried back to his palace and, to his great relief, his daughter was restored to life. She hugged him tightly, and this time, she remained warm and alive.
Midas had learned a valuable lesson about greed. From that day on, he no longer cared for gold or riches. Instead, he appreciated the simple things in life and never wished for more than he needed.
The moral of “The golden touch of Midas”
Greed can lead to disaster, and we should appreciate what we already have.
Midas’s desire for more and more gold blinded him to the things that truly mattered—his family, his health, and his happiness. This story teaches us that sometimes, getting what we want can come with unexpected and harmful consequences.
Questions about “The golden touch of Midas”
- What was King Midas’s greatest wish?
- Why did Midas ask for the golden touch?
- What happened when Midas tried to eat or drink after getting the golden touch?
- How did the golden touch affect Midas’s daughter?
- How was King Midas able to undo the golden touch?
Answers
- King Midas wished that everything he touched would turn to gold.
- Midas asked for the golden touch because he wanted to be the richest man in the world.
- When Midas tried to eat or drink, the food and water turned to gold, making them impossible to consume.
- When Midas touched his daughter, she turned into a golden statue.
- Midas was able to undo the golden touch by washing his hands in the river Pactolus, as instructed by Dionysus.
Words to learn
- Midas: The king who wished for the golden touch. His name is often associated with wealth and greed.
- Golden touch: A magical ability that turns everything you touch into gold.
- Dionysus: A powerful god in Greek mythology who granted Midas the golden touch.
- Curse: A harmful spell or power. Midas’s golden touch became a curse when it caused him to lose what truly mattered.
- River Pactolus: A river where Midas washed away the golden touch. The river became famous in mythology for its connection to Midas’s story.
What type of story is “The golden touch of Midas”?
The Golden Touch of Midas is a myth, a traditional story from ancient times that explains human nature and teaches important lessons.
Who wrote “The golden touch of Midas”?
The Golden Touch of Midas is a classic Greek myth that has been passed down through oral tradition. It is commonly associated with Ovid, who retold the story in his work Metamorphoses. Learn more about Ovid here.
When was “The golden touch of Midas” first told?
The myth of King Midas dates back to ancient Greece, more than 2,000 years ago.
Who are the main characters in “The golden touch of Midas”?
The main characters are King Midas, the god Dionysus, and Midas’s daughter.
What lesson can we learn from “The golden touch of Midas”?
We learn that greed can have harmful consequences, and we should be careful about what we wish for. The story reminds us to appreciate the simple things in life and not let our desire for wealth blind us to what truly matters.
”The golden touch of Midas” story for young English learners (ages 2-5, Pre-A1 graded reader)
Once upon a time, there was a king named Midas.
He was very rich, but he always wanted more gold.
One day, a magical man came to Midas.
The man said, “I will give you one wish. What do you want?”
Midas thought for a moment.
“I wish that everything I touch turns to gold,” he said.
The magical man said, “Your wish is granted. Now, everything you touch will turn to gold.”
Midas was very happy.
He touched a rock, and it turned into gold.
He touched a tree, and it turned into gold.
Midas was so excited!
He thought, “I will be the richest king in the world!”
But soon, Midas became hungry.
When he touched his food, it turned to gold.
He could not eat it!
Midas felt sad. He touched his daughter to give her a hug, and she turned into gold, too!
Midas cried, “What have I done?”
Midas went to the magical man and begged for help.
“Please take away my golden touch. I don’t want it anymore,” Midas said.
The magical man felt sorry for Midas.
He took away the golden touch.
Midas hugged his daughter, and she turned back to normal.
He learned that gold was not the most important thing in life.
Fun fact!
Did you know? The phrase “the Midas touch” is still used today to describe someone who seems to have great luck with making money. But as the story shows, having the “Midas touch” isn’t always a good thing!
