لخّصلي

The ancient Greeks told the story of Midas.Haya Haya Medo Midas sat silently at the table, bewildered and stunned.Haya Haya Medo It had been an active morning for King Midas, and he was very, very hungry.He often whispered to himself, "Oh, Midas, rich King Midas, what a happy man you are." 15

Then he always added softly, "But how much happier you would be

if you had more gold."Haya Haya Medo "I have done fairly well-fairly well," admitted King Midas.The king ordered his servants to bring him breakfast, and he told them to summon Marigold, his daughter.While Midas, filled with despair, stared at the ground, he suddenly became aware of the young man standing near the door.However, if there was one thing he adored just as much, it

was Marigold, his daughter.He had planted a garden that contained the largest and most beautiful roses that any mortal ever saw.But now, if he glanced at the flowers at all, it was only to estimate how much they would be worth if they were made

out of gold.Therefore, the king concluded that his visitor must have very great powers."You are a wealthy man, friend Midas," he said."But it has taken me my whole life to obtain this much. And there is so much more gold I would love to possess."Midas paused and thought for some time.35

The stranger's smile lit up the room, and everything shone brilliantly.Midas really loved his daughter, and he was eager to inform' her about his amazing good fortune.This amazed King Midas, for she almost never shed a tear.She looked sadly at the rose in her hand, and then she tossed it away.The astonished king stared at the roll-it had turned to gold!Midas shook his head.

The ancient Greeks told the story of Midas. He was a rich and

powerful king who loved gold more than anything else in the

world. However, if there was one thing he adored just as much, it

was Marigold, his daughter. "She is worth her weight in gold," the

king often remarked. At one time, the king enjoyed looking at flowers. He had planted a garden that contained the largest and most beautiful roses that any mortal ever saw. But now, if he glanced at the flowers at all, it was only to estimate how much they would be worth if they were made

out of gold. Midas spent part of every day in an enormous room in his palace. That huge chamber, which was filled with gold, was his treasure room. There, the king counted his many bags of gold and let the pieces of gold slip through his fingers. He often whispered to himself, "Oh, Midas, rich King Midas, what a happy man you are."

15

Then he always added softly, "But how much happier you would be

if you had more gold." One day, Midas was in his treasure room counting his fortune. Suddenly, a long shadow fell upon the heaps of gold. Midas looked up and saw a young man who stood there smiling at him. Midas was certain he had locked the door, and there was no other entrance to the room. Therefore, the king concluded that his visitor must have very great powers. The stranger looked around the room, then smiled again. "You are a wealthy man, friend Midas," he said. "I doubt

25 whether any other four walls on earth contain as much gold as you have managed to pile up in this room."
Haya
Haya Medo
"I have done fairly well-fairly well," admitted King Midas. "But it has taken me my whole life to obtain this much. And there is so much more gold I would love to possess."

"What!" exclaimed the stranger. "Then you are not satisfied?"

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"I am not," said King Midas, shaking his head.

"What would satisfy you?" asked the young man. "I am curious to know."

Midas paused and thought for some time. Finally, a really bright idea came to the king. It seemed as bright as the glistening gold he loved so much. "It is only this," the king replied. "It takes so much time, trouble, and effort to collect my treasures. I wish... I wish that everything I touch would turn to gold."

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The stranger's smile lit up the room, and everything shone brilliantly. "The Golden Touch!" he said. "The Golden Touch! That is an excellent wish-an excellent wish, indeed! But are you sure that wish would satisfy you? Are you sure that your wish would make you happy?"

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"How could it fail?" said Midas.

"And you would never regret that you asked for it?"

"That wish is all I ask," King Midas said. "It would bring me perfect happiness."

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"Then you shall have the wish that you desire," the stranger said. "Tomorrow, when the sun comes up, everything that you touch will turn to gold. Good-bye for now," the young man said, and he disappeared as suddenly as he had come.
Haya
Haya Medo
It had been an active morning for King Midas, and he was very, very hungry. The king ordered his servants to bring him breakfast, and he told them to summon Marigold, his daughter.

Usually, little Marigold was the happiest of children. Midas really loved his daughter, and he was eager to inform' her about his amazing good fortune. Before long, he heard her voice, but the child was crying bitterly. This amazed King Midas, for she almost never shed a tear.

Marigold opened the door. She held a handkerchief to her red eyes, and she cried as though her poor heart was breaking.

"Why, dear child, what is wrong?" asked the king. "Why are you crying on this very fine morning?"

Marigold did not answer, but she held out a bright yellow rose that she had picked in the garden.

"It is a beautiful rose!" exclaimed her father. "It is a rose made of gold."

"It is not beautiful," responded the girl. "It is ugly. All the roses in the garden have changed like this one and are no longer soft and fragrant. A rose should be soft, and a rose should smell sweet."

She looked sadly at the rose in her hand, and then she tossed it away.

"Do not cry, my dear girl," said the king. "You can get hundreds of roses for one made of gold. Now, let us have breakfast."

The servants had placed plates of food on the table, and Midas picked up a roll.

The astonished king stared at the roll-it had turned to gold! He picked up roll after roll, but each one turned to gold.

The king reached for an egg, but it instantly changed to gold in his hand. There was water in a glass, but when the king touched the glass, the glass turned to gold, and the water in the glass became gold when it touched the king's lips.
Haya
Haya Medo
Midas sat silently at the table, bewildered and stunned. "Ah, dear child," he finally said to his daughter, "I do not know what will become of your father."

"What is the matter?" she asked, alarmed. Then she jumped out

of her chair and hurried to comfort the king. When she reached his side, Midas threw his arms around the girl and bent down to kiss the child's head. But Marigold did not move. She did not speak. She had turned to gold!

"What have I done!" King Midas cried out. "What have I done! Oh, my precious Marigold!"

While Midas, filled with despair, stared at the ground, he suddenly became aware of the young man standing near the door.

"Well, friend Midas," said the stranger, "I granted you the Golden Touch. Are you happy now? Are you satisfied now?

Midas shook his head. "I am very miserable," he said. "There are more important things in life than gold. I hate the Golden Touch! It has cost me my child."

"You are wiser than you were, King Midas," said the stranger. "Tell me, do you sincerely wish to rid yourself of the Golden Touch?"

"With all my heart," King Midas said. "It is hateful to me."

"Then hurry to the river that runs past your garden. Throw yourself into the water, and it will wash away your wish. Bring back a pitcher of water from the river. Sprinkle the water over your daughter, and you will have her back again
Haya
Haya Medo
It goes without saying that King Midas lost no time in doing exactly what he was told. He hurried to the river and plunged into the water. When he emerged, a cold, hard, and heavy weight seemed to be lifted from his heart.

Midas filled a pitcher with water and rushed back to the palace. He sprinkled the water on his daughter and, all at once, she came back to life. She was not aware and did not even know, or remember, that she had been changed to a little golden statue.

Then Midas went into the garden and sprinkled some water onto every rose bush there. The roses turned red, and each one smelled sweet. The following day, Midas returned to the river. He saw that the sand of the river sparkled like gold. And to this day, if you look at the sand near a river, you will see that it always glistens like gold.