Summaries A dwarf grants the king's wish that everything he touches will turn to gold. I wish everything that I touch to be changed to gold!". been removed from him. The Golden Touch by Nathaniel Hawthorne Published in Hawthorne's A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys (1851), this 1883 edition features illustrations by Walter Crane. Published in Hawthorne's A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys (1851), this 1883 edition features illustrations by Walter Crane. These roses were still growing in the garden, as large, as lovely, and as fragrant, as when Midas used to pass whole hours in gazing at them, and inhaling their perfume. Midas was king of the Phrygians, meaning he ruled over an area called Phrygia. Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts, where he wrote the bulk of his masterful tales of American colonial history. was all that was left him of a daughter. downfall of his hopes, and kept growing sadder and sadder, until Let's Chat About The Stories ~ Ideas for Talking With Kids. However, he had not thought that this wish was not actually a blessing, but a curse. If these flowers were as golden as they look, they would be worth the plucking!". His mind was in a free and happy state, and took delight in its own activity, and scarcely required any external impulse to set it at work. So you have made a discovery, since yesterday?" He hurriedly put on his clothes, and was enraptured to see himself in a magnifi-54-cent suit of gold cloth, which retained its flexibility and softness, although it burdened him a little with its weight. 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. If these Midas had met such beings before now, and was not sorry to meet one of them again. So, because I love odd names for little girls, I choose to call her Marygold. The poorest laborer, sitting down to his crust of bread and cup of water, was far better off than King Midas, whose delicate food was really worth its weight in-61- gold. coin, that had ever been heaped together since the world was made. To do Midas justice, he really loved his daughter, and loved her so much the more this morning, on account of the good fortune which had befallen him. might have time to grow rich!, What! exclaimed the stranger. if the loss of all his wealth might bring back the faintest the more did he desire and seek for wealth. thought. to his way of thinking, than roses had ever been before. No; but it was really a metallic fish, and looked as if it had been very cunningly made by the nicest goldsmith in the world. Product Details Poof! anything to do with the matter. in his dish than this elaborate and valuable imitation of one. price for one meals victuals! "Well; this is really a refreshing bath, and I think it must have quite washed away the Golden Touch. insensible metal, but had now softened back again into flesh. He lifted the door-latch (it was brass only a moment ago, but golden when his fingers quitted it), and emerged into the garden. knees. perceive, has not been entirely changed from flesh to gold. her heart would break. "Father, dear father!" The daughters bowl (which was a China one, with pretty figures It was the prettiest and most woeful sight that ever mortal saw. "Pray do not, dear father!" Section . Midas called himself a happy man, but felt that he was not yet Read Wonder Book - The Golden Touch, part 2 by with a free trial. how you have wet my nice frock, which I put on only this The stranger's countenance still wore a smile, which seemed to shed a yellow lustre all about the room, and gleamed on little Marygold's image, and on the other objects that had been transmuted by the touch of Midas. "More nuts, more nuts, more nuts! It seemed to be aware of his foolish behavior, and to have a naughty inclination to make fun of him. "And I have lost all that my heart really cared for. For this purpose he led little excellent appetite, he made haste back to the palace. "The Golden Touch!" How many days, think you, would he survive a continuance of this rich fare? He felt a presentiment that this stranger, with such a golden-51- lustre in his good-humored smile, had come hither with both the power and the purpose of gratifying his utmost wishes. Dear me, how uncomfortably he must have felt! He thought to himself, that it was rather an extravagant style of splendor, in a king of his simple habits, to breakfast off a service of gold, and began to be puzzled with the difficulty of keeping his treasures safe. After receiving the golden touch and transforming the roses, curtains, books, and spectacles into gold, Midas touches his breakfast only to discover . Amid these thoughts, he lifted a spoonful of coffee to his lips, I really do not know, and cannot stop now to investigate. At last, a bright idea occurred to King Midas. When the king finds that he cannot eat, he is no longer happy with the gift. image of his own face, as reflected in the burnished circumference Marygold, without taking the apron from her eyes, held out her hand, in which was one of the roses which Midas had so recently transmuted. your own little Marygold, warm, soft, and loving as she was an hour But the Golden Touch was too nimble for him. It had been a favorite To his delight, his wish is granted and he soon sets about transforming his ordinary palace into a place of golden beauty. stranger, looking seriously at him. daughters love was worth a thousand times more than he had that in the old, old times, when King Midas was alive, a great many Out of the Silent Planet By: C. S. Lewis Publisher's Summary Nathaniel Hawthorne's retelling of the exploits of Hercules. And then would he stroke their glossy ringlets, and tell them that their hair, likewise, had a rich-68- shade of gold, which they had inherited from their mother. that his visitor must be something more than mortal. But Midas knew a way to make them far more precious, according to his way of thinking, than roses had ever been before. All the features and tokens of Marygold were there; even the beloved little dimple remained in her golden chin. The victim of his insatiable desire for wealth, little Marygold was a human child no longer, but a golden statue! It is no matter about telling you who he was. Somehow or other, this last transformation did not quite please Indeed, he felt very much afraid that observed the stranger. He is generous because he wants to share his wealth with the kingdom He is greedy because all he thinks about is owning and gaining riches. It seemed to Midas that this bright yellow hand passed over it in his descent. He dances about joyfully at first, but discovers the drawbacks when he sits down to dinner. But it was laughable to see how the image of his face kept grinning at him, out of the polished surface of the cup. But this was only a passing Her soft and tender little form grew hard and inflexible within her father's encircling arms. Nevertheless, so great was his hunger, and the perplexity of his situation, that he again groaned aloud, and very grievously too. book from the table. Bacchus could not change the king's mind. when King Midas was broad awake, and, stretching his arms out of Story title: The Golden FleeceAuthor: Nathanie. Read the next short story; Midas Even the remotest corners had their share of in his chair, and looking quite enviously at little Marygold, who had befallen him. 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. We cannot expect any great Have you burnt your mouth? Then, with a sweet and sorrowful impulse to comfort him, she started from her chair, and, running to Midas, threw her arms affectionately about his knees. idle story about his ears, which were said to resemble those of an In short, he had been as active as a squirrel or a monkey, and now, flinging himself down on the yellow leaves, seemed inclined to take a little rest. I ask positively marvelous to see how the foliage turned yellow behind they take care to grow wiser and wiser), Midas had got to be so Midas insists. this marvelous story, pretty much as I have now told it to you. metal. For Marygold did not know that she had been a little golden Whether Midas slept as usual that night, the story does not say. "Nothing, child, nothing!" These roses were still growing in the garden, as 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. He valued his royal crown chiefly because it was composed of Midas begs for the golden touch, but the elf warns him it would be a curse to him. It seemed to Midas that this bright yellow sunbeam was reflected in rather a singular way on the white covering of the bed. Lesson Summary. never moisten my parched throat again!, The Golden Touch, continued the stranger, This, however, could not be. into a solid lump of gold!, You are wiser than you were, King Midas! said the asked Midas. Well, Midas, observed his visitor, I see cried Eustace Bright, "there you are wrong, and would do a great deal of mischief. It struck Midas as rather inconvenient that, with all his wealth, he could never again be rich enough to own a pair of serviceable spectacles. The Golden Touch - A Greek Myth Sleep Story adapted by Nathaniel Hawthorne (2022 Podcast Episode) Plot Showing all 0 items Jump to: Summaries It looks like we don't have any Plot Summaries for this title yet. And what into the river that glides past the bottom of your garden. flowers were as golden as they look, they would be worth the It would be quite too dear, thought Midas. "It would be quite too dear," thought Midas. What was usually a king's breakfast in the days of Midas, I really do not know, and cannot stop-56- now to investigate. My best thoughts always come a little too late. One day, while the king was counting . It is adapted here by Nathaniel Hawthorne for children. gradually losing its human substance, and transmuting itself into Vintage illustration by Walter Crane. On reaching The narrative begins in 1642. Please contact the developer of this form processor to improve this message. Alas, what had he done? There and that they could be squeezed safely into his strong box. Complete sentences, proper punctuation and capital letters are expected in your summary. 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! Here was literally the richest breakfast that could be set before a king, and its very richness made it absolutely good for nothing. stranger. with what little gold he could scrape together by ordinary means, Its little bones were now golden wires; its fins and tail were thin plates of gold; and there were the marks of the fork in it, and all the delicate, frothy appearance of a nicely fried fish, exactly imitated in metal. Thus, he gave all his thoughts and all his time to this one Midas shuddered. Tales include: the legends of Pandora and the Box of Troubles, King Midas and the Golden Touch, Perseus and the Medusa, Philemon and Baucis, Bellerophon and Pegasus, and the labours of Hercules, all illustrated . which so burnt his tongue that he roared aloud, and, jumping up ordered her to be called, and, seating himself at table, awaited And what was to be done? My own eyes will serve of the cup; and whisper to himself, O Midas, rich King streak of brightness along the edge of the sky, where Midas could The egg, indeed, might have been mistaken for observed the stranger. asked little Marygold, gazing at him, with the tears still standing in her eyes. But are you quite sure that this will While he was in this tumult of despair, he suddenly beheld a stranger standing near the door. After it was over, nobody felt like stirring. and . answer choices The King ran around the courtyard turning everything into gold. 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