King Midas and His Golden Touch, an Ancient Greek Mythology for Children

There are so many ancient stories to tell children about from all around the world.  One good story that children can learn a valuable lesson from which will be a lifetime provision, is a story from Greece.  As we know, Greece is famous for its historical sites as well as its well-known philosophers and poets.  No wonder their myths are based upon the ideas and values of their good thinkers.  Herein, we came across a story of ancient Greek mythology of King Midas and His Golden Touch, suitable for young children’s bedtime stories who favorable in classic stories of kings and queens.  

The story was narrated long long time ago in the country of Phrygia, lived a very wealthy King who had almost everything in the world.  King Midas, as he was called, was rich but greedy at the same time, that he loves gold so much he even decorated one room in his giant castle full of these shining yellowed color pieces of metal.  He even named his one and only daughter, Princess Marigold.  His love for gold became an obsession and even exceeded his love for his beautiful daughter.  He would do anything to acquire even more gold to satisfy his avariciousness and blindness.

One day King Midas was visited by an old satyr (half man half goat), named Silenus, where Midas immediately recognize the satyr happens to be the loyal companion of Dionysus, the god of wine and celebration.  Silenus was welcomed and asked to join Midas with a festivity.  Knowing that Dionysus was happy and willing to grant any wish Midas was hoping for.  Thankful enough, King Midas asked for the only thing matters to him is gold, and his wish was granted that everything he touches turns into gold.  Without thinking, the king absolutely had no idea of the consequences of his own wish.

Later on, Midas was enjoying his own celebration where everything he touched turned to gold, including his crown, his own bed, and almost everything.  However, Princess Marigold was not happy with the situation and Midas tried to convince her but she was turned into gold as he hugged her.  King Midas was left with all the sadness and asked Dionysus to remove the spell.  King Midas was advised that he could remove his “golden touch” in the Pactolus river.  Midas went back to his castle and touched the golden statue of Princess Marigold and amazingly all he left to gold went back to normal.

This is a very ancient Greek mythology that is worth telling children early on about being greedy is harmful and wrong, but we should be grateful instead.  Hence, the moral message from the story is to appreciate whatever we have now whether it’s small or big, or even a lot or a few.  Having more of something doesn’t necessarily bring you happiness, but the support and love from family and friends that will bring joy.  King Midas was so eager to get more gold for his own pleasure, but he failed to acknowledge his own daughter into one of his treasures.