King Midas
In Ancient Greece lived a king called Midas. He loved his daughter but he was obsessed with gold.
King Midas had more gold than any king in the world but he wanted more.
The king’s daughter was called Goldie. She was just an ordinary kid and hated her father’s obsession with gold and wished he would spend a bit more time with her instead.
Late one evening the king took a stroll through his rose garden.
Suddenly, he tripped over something and almost fell flat on his face. He looked down and saw the weirdest-looking creature.
“Who the heck are you?” he exclaimed.
“I’m a woodland creature and my name is Brian.”
“Are you all right? What are you doing sitting there on the ground, anyway?” asked the king.
The king took a look at the creature and saw a little man with a long shaggy beard and what looked like shaggy fur trousers and hooves.
“You don’t look very well,” said the king.
“I got lost and tired and haven’t eaten in days,” said Brian.
At that moment Brian fainted.
King Midas was actually very kind so he picked Brian up and carried him into the palace. The servants fed him and put him to bed.
Brian woke up the next morning and a little girl was watching him. It was Goldie and she said, “My daddy, the king, said he found you in the rose garden last night. Did you, like, sleep okay?”
Brian yawned and said, “Ahh, if it wasn’t for your dad I wouldn’t have made it through the night. He’s very kind.”
“Deep down, yes,” she sighed, “he’s a lovely daddy but he’s got this totally, like, mad obsession with gold. I wish he'd spend more time with me like he did before.”
Brian whispered in her ear and she looked amazed.
They both went down to where the king sat at the breakfast table.
“Ah, hello Brian, looking a lot better than last night, I must say. Breakfast?”
“Yes, thank you, I am rather peckish.”
“Don’t know what you woodland chaps eat uh but I can have some hay brought in?”
“Toast will be fine,” said Brian, “you have been very kind to me. You saved my life and I have a magic gift I can give in special cases.”
“Oh, what is it?” asked the king.
“A wish,” said Brian, “and it will come true. Is there anything in particular that you would wish for? Maybe that everything you touched could turn to gold?”
“Yes, then I’d have all the gold I could ever want!”
“You sure?” asked Brian.
The king nodded his head vigorously.
Secretly, Brian gave Goldie a huge wink.
“Your wish is granted. Now, I’d better get home.”
“Have a carriage to save you the walk, dear chap,” said the king.
Outside, the king and Goldie waved as the carriage set off.
“Have a safe journey!” yelled Goldie.
“Goodbye, old chap. Come and visit us again!” shouted the king.
Brian leaned out of the carriage window and gave Goldie another big wink.
The king didn’t really believe that a little chap like Brian could grant such a wish and went to his rose garden to look at his lovely blooms.
“I’ll give this to my darling Goldie,” he thought as he picked one. Suddenly the rose turned to solid gold.
The same thing happened with another rose and soon he had a basket of golden roses. He was so excited he hurried back to the palace.
He put the golden roses into a vase, which turned to solid gold. He pulled out a chair to sit down and the chair turned into gold.
The king shrieked with laughter and raced around touching everything and turning it to gold. Finally, he flopped down on the gold chair to get his breath back.
He called for a cup of tea and the moment he touched the teacup it turned into gold.
“What if I can’t eat or drink? I’ll starve if everything I touch turns to gold!” he thought.
Goldie appeared and rushed over to give him a hug.
Suddenly, he saw that his beloved daughter had turned into solid gold.
The king burst into tears when he saw her like a beautiful little golden statue.
He yelled at the servants, “Stop the carriage right away and bring Brian back here now!”
Soon, the servants appeared with Brian.
“Brian, please take that wish back. What was I thinking? Goldie and not gold is the most precious thing in my world.”
“Your wish is now unwished.” said Brian.
Goldie instantly turned from golden statue to little girl once more and the king picked her up and showered her lovely face with kisses.
And all the golden items in the palace returned to their natural state.
“Thank you, Brian, I’ve learnt something important today,” said the king.
Goldie smiled a cute little smile up at her father and he smiled back.
“Bring the Head Goldsman!” commanded the king.
The Head Goldsman said, “What is it, Sire?”
“Have all the gold brought to the front of the palace. It is to be given away fairly to every person in the kingdom,” cried the king.
The celebrations lasted all day when everyone in the kingdom knew they would never have any more money worries.
The Head Goldsman said, “Sire, is there any point in you having a Head Goldsman?”
“Good point,” answered the king, “the Head Rose gardener retires soon so someone will need to look after all my lovely roses. From now on you will be known as the Head Roseman!”
Brian gave Goldie a big wink and, with a huge smile on her face, she winked right back.
The End
