In a faraway kingdom, there was a king named Midas who loved gold more than anything else in the world. His love for gold was so great that he wished everything he touched would turn to gold.
One fine day, King Midas’ life changed forever. This extraordinary turn of events was all thanks to Dionysus, the god of wine and festivity.
Dionysus, known for his happy and generous nature, was traveling through Midas’ kingdom when he encountered Silenus, his old mentor and friend. Silenus had become lost and weary, but King Midas, recognizing him, offered his hospitality (gastvrijheid) and treated him with kindness and respect.
For ten days and nights, Midas entertained Silenus, sharing stories and laughter, showing great care and generosity. When Dionysus arrived to pick up his mentor, he was deeply moved by Midas’ kindness towards his beloved friend. To show his gratitude, Dionysus promised to grant King Midas one wish, anything he ever wanted.
Midas, known far and wide for his love of gold, saw this as an opportunity to increase his large wealth. Without much thought to the consequences, he wished that everything he touched would turn to gold. Dionysus, was hesitant (twijfelachtig), but he made Midas's wish come true, warning him to be mindful (bewust) of the power he had been given. Little did Midas know, this wish would soon turn his world upside down.
At first, King Midas was overjoyed. Everything he touched turned into shimmering gold – his chair, his rose garden, even his food. The palace shimmered with golden light, and Midas felt like the richest man in the world. However, soon, King Midas realized the terrible consequences of his wish. When he hugged his beloved daughter, she too turned into a lifeless golden statue. The king’s heart filled with despair (wanhoop).
He realized that his golden touch was more a curse than a blessing. In a world where everything was gold, he could not eat, drink, or show affection to those he loved. In his sadness and regret, Midas begged (smeken) Dionysus to take back the golden touch. The god, seeing Midas’ remorse, agreed to help.
He instructed Midas to wash his hands in the river Pactolus. As Midas did so, the golden touch flowed out of him and into the river, and turned the sand into gold.
Midas learned a valuable (waardevol) lesson about greed and the true value of simple human joys. He understood that the love of his family and the beauty of the world around him were worth more than all the gold in his kingdom. From that day on, he lived a simpler life, treasuring the moments with his daughter and his people more than his gold.