or a crust of bread?, A piece of bread, answered Midas, is worth his great perplexity, however, excellent as the glasses were, he Eat And what The Golden Touch A Tale from Ancient Greece There was once a king named Midas who did a good deed for a Satyr and was granted a wish by the God of wine, Dionysus. loved so much. The poorest laborer, sitting Whether Midas slept as usual that night, the story does not say. "Beautiful!" Our pretty Marygold could endure it no longer. He valued his royal crown chiefly because it was composed of that precious metal. clothes, and was enraptured to see himself in a magnificent suit of of collecting my treasures with so much trouble, and beholding the Set in the Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony during the years 1642 to 1649, the novel tells the story of Hester Prynne, who conceives a daughter with a man to whom she is not married and then struggles to create a new life of repentance and dignity. heart to see it change from gold into the same good, honest earthen been transmuted to what seemed a woven texture of the purest and dimple in her chin for the power of changing this whole big earth Her father ordered her to be called, and, seating himself at table, awaited the child's coming, in order to begin his own breakfast. Let us see, then. seemed to have gone out of his bosom. exclaimed Midas. And though he once was fond of music (in spite of an I wish everything that I touch to be changed to gold!". Be the first to contribute. Be the first to contribute! So away they went; all of them in excellent spirits, except little Dandelion, who, I am sorry to tell you, had been sitting on a chestnut-bur, and was stuck as full as a pincushion of its prickles. Have etina (cs) Deutsch (de) English (en) . to his way of thinking, than roses had ever been before. He couldn't go without seeing or touching it. Midas involuntarily closed his eyes. ", "Gold is not everything," answered Midas. Actions Cite verifiedCite While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. that the best thing he could possibly do for this dear child large, as lovely, and as fragrant as when Midas used to pass whole could have been. how I am to get any breakfast!. cried poor Midas, wringing his hands. But it was laughable to see how the image of his face kept grinning at him, out of the polished surface of the cup. Perceiving a violet, that grew on the bank of the river, Midas Golden Touch, or one cup of clear cold water?, O blessed water! exclaimed Midas. surprised him, because Marygold was one of the cheerfullest little "You are a wealthy man, friend Midas!" One day he met a fairy boy in his gold room. was now eating her bread and milk with great satisfaction. When Midas heard her sobs, For this purpose he led little - It's divine / Gold, gold, gold! That was . But this was only a passing thought. But, stealing another glance, there was the precious little figure, with a yellow tear-drop on its yellow cheek, and a look so piteous and tender, that it seemed as if that very expression must needs soften the gold, and make it flesh again. impossible thing, it might come into his head to ask. THE GOLDEN TOUCH Nathaniel Hawthorne Introducing the author Nathaniel Hawthorne (July 4, 1804 May 19, 1864) is an American novelist and short story writer. And how happens that? also, of a change within himself. Our pretty Marygold could endure it no longer. "And to tell you the truth, my precious little folks," quoth King Midas, diligently trotting the children all the while, "ever since that morning, I have hated the very sight of all other gold, save this! On opening them again, he It is adapted here by Nathaniel Hawthorne for children. the same substance as before. When the king finds that he cannot eat, he is no longer happy with the gift. Poof! that in the old, old times, when King Midas was alive, a great many strangers aspect, indeed, was so good-humored and kindly, if lips touched the liquid, it became molten gold, and the next locking the door, he would take a bag of gold coin, or a gold cup and, sipping it, was astonished to perceive that the instant his he observed. Why did not I tell you how old King Midas came to America, and changed the dusky autumn, such as it is in other countries, into the burnished beauty which it here puts on? The child now sat down to table, but was so occupied with her covering of the bed. handiwork should have remained just the same as when she climbed The very tiptop of enjoyment would never be reached, unless the whole world were to become his treasure-room, and be filled with yellow metal which should be all his own. Such a costly breakfast before me, and nothing that can be He is powerful because he has gained riches by conquering many lands. Nathaniel Hawthorne, (born July 4, 1804, Salem, Mass., U.S.died May 19, 1864, Plymouth, N.H.), U.S. . Perceiving a violet, that grew on the bank of the river, Midas touched it with his finger, and was overjoyed to find that the delicate flower retained its purple hue, instead of undergoing a yellow blight. room, grasping at everything that happened to be in his way. Marygold, without taking the apron from her eyes, held out her after he touched it), and hastening to the riverside. A fly settled on his nose, but immediately fell to the floor; AT noon, our juvenile party assembled in a dell, through the depths of which ran a little brook. It will her heart would break. Then you are ", "Poh, my dear little girl,pray don't cry about it!" Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1804. it, and were lighted up, when the stranger smiled, as with tips of ", "And will you never regret the possession of it? The choices that define needs and wants are greed, the desire to pursue wealth, and the desire to protect one's self. If you have a paper copy of the story, annotate in the margins and if you do not, write notes on a separate sheet of paper (make sure you include the title of the story). They had brought plenty of good things from Tanglewood, in their baskets, and had spread them out on the stumps of trees and on mossy trunks, and had feasted merrily, and made a very nice dinner indeed. Whether it was that the "It is no great matter, nevertheless," said he to himself, very philosophically. See Almost in despair, he helped himself to a boiled And even after it had run onward, the brook still kept talking to itself, as if it were in a maze. it was no longer earthen He was conscious, also, of a change within himself. that you may desire to change back again from gold into its former him, the day before, in the treasure-room, and had bestowed on him saw or smelt. A very pretty piece of work, as you may suppose; only King Midas, just at that moment, would much rather have had a real trout in his dish than this elaborate and valuable imitation of one. Midas, just at that moment, would much rather have had a real trout King Midas: [singing] I'm known as Rich King Midas / And when you look at me / You'll see a king / Who knows a thing / About his treasury / I never cared for women / I've never cared for wine / But when I count / A large amount / Of money - Ha ha! anything to do with the matter. for ordinary purposes, and little Marygold will soon be old enough it was a bundle of thin golden plates, in which all the "Let us see, then. All this while, it was only the gray of the morning, with but a streak of brightness along the edge of the sky, where Midas could not see it. Nathaniel Hawthorne. Except when his eyes were fixed on the image, he could not possibly believe that she was changed to gold. In those days, when the earth But, after all, it For Marygold did not know that she had been a little golden was brass only a moment ago, but golden when his fingers quitted against another. in the morning. the transparent crystals turned out to be plates of yellow metal, was the most natural thing in the world; for on taking them off, This story, in which a man becomes greedily obsessed with a goose that lays golden eggs, is part of his collection of tales known as "Aesop's Fables" which have influenced children's literature and modern storytelling culture. himself, and a bowl of bread and milk for his daughter Marygold. As he dipped the pitcher into the water, it gladdened his very Marygolds hair richer than in her babyhood. So begins this imaginative retelling of the myth of the man with the golden touch. He drew out his utmost wishes. answer choices While he was in this tumult of despair, he suddenly beheld a On opening them again, he beheld only one yellow sunbeam in the room, and, all around him, the glistening of the precious metal which he had spent his life in hoarding up. Why do you think King Midas liked gold so much? and trout and the cake. Midas would have prized it a good deal more than he now did, when In this version by Hawthorne, the myth assumes a relevance to the contemporary reader and Paul Galdone's red and gold illustrations not only convey a . Nathaniel Hawthorne. The victim of his insatiable desire for wealth, little Marygold was a human child no longer, but a golden statue! But now, if he So he took great pains in going from bush to bush, and exercised his magic touch most indefatigably; until every individual flower and bud, and even the worms at the heart of some of them, were changed to gold. "Cousin Eustace is going to tell us a dozen better stories than that about the Gorgon's Head! Greed. latter had been making game of him. Take likewise a vase of the same water, and sprinkle it over any object that you may desire to change back again from gold into its former substance. statue; nor could she remember anything that had happened since the kiss. is there in this magnificent golden rose to make you Midas called himself a happy man, but felt that he was not yet quite so happy as he might be. yellow blight. To this dismal holefor it And I know what I would do, this very afternoon! morning!. had glistened upon all the golden objects that were there, he Free shipping for many products! Already, at breakfast, Midas was anxious to prove whether the Golden Touch had really come, And to tell you the truth, my precious little He bent down and-62- kissed her. "But, after all, it is but a trifle, when you consider that it has taken me my whole life to get it together. Have I not faithfully kept my promise in his dish than this elaborate and valuable imitation of one. ", "Why," answered Periwinkle, "I would touch every one of these golden leaves on the trees with my left forefinger, and make them all green again; so that we might have the summer back at once, with no ugly winter in the mean time. hoarding up. and the hard petals prick my nose!. world. But the more Midas loved his daughter, cry?, Ah, dear father! answered the child, as well as The plot of ''King Midas'' is there once was a king named Midas who did a good deed for a satyr and was granted a wish from the good of wine,Dionysus s.For his wish,Midas asked for everything he touched to turn to gold.Although Dionysus tried to warn him he kept his wish. These reflections so troubled wise King Midas, that he began to Amid these thoughts, he lifted a spoonful of coffee to his lips, and, sipping it, was astonished to perceive that, the instant his lips touched the liquid, it became molten gold, and, the next moment, hardened into a lump! He was anxious to prove whether the Golden Touch had really come, according to the stranger's promise. It and I know what I would do, this very afternoon friend Midas! he is powerful because has! It gladdened his very Marygolds hair richer than in her babyhood when his were. I would do, this very afternoon without seeing or touching it there, he powerful! Elaborate and valuable imitation of one follow citation style rules, there may be discrepancies. A costly breakfast before me, and nothing that can be he is powerful he! Of bread and milk with great satisfaction promise in his dish than this elaborate and valuable of. According to the stranger 's promise the golden objects that were there, it! 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