THE GOLDEN TOUCH
Long, long ago there lived in Greece a king whose name was Midas. He was a greedy man and loved gold better than anything else in the world.
One day he asked the gods to give him still more gold. The gods decided to punish him and said, "Very well. In the morning everything that you touch will become gold."
Midas was overjoyed when he heard this. "I shall be the richest man in the world," he said to himself.
He got up early next morning. When he touched his bed, it turned to gold. He began to dress, and his clothes became gold. Midas was delighted.
Midas loved flowers and kept a beautiful garden. He went into the garden to look at his flowers. The day was fine, the sun was bright and the roses were lovely. The king picked one of them, but it turned to gold in his hand. He picked another, and the same thing happened. He was sorry that the flowers changed as soon as he touched them, for he loved their rich colours.
The king went to have his breakfast. He took a cup of milk, but it immediately turned to gold. Then he took a piece of bread, and that also changed into gold. Midas now began to feel unhappy. It was good to be the richest man in the world, but he was hungry, and he could not eat or drink gold.
Midas went out into the garden again. His little daughter was there. When she saw her father, she ran up to him. King Midas was very fond of his daughter and he kissed her tenderly. Then and there she turned into a golden statue.
Midas was now very unhappy. He went into his palace. His eyes filled with tears, and he begged the gods to take away the Golden Touch.
"I was very foolish to love gold so much," he said. "Take all my gold and give me back my daughter."
"Go," said the gods, "and wash your hands in the river near your garden, and the water will take away the Golden Touch."
Midas went to the river and washed his hands. Then he ran quickly to the golden statue of his little girl. He kissed her again and she changed back into his pretty little daughter.
Midas never forgot this lesson. He knew now that gold did not bring happiness.
點金術
很久很久以前，希臘有個國王，名叫邁達斯。他是個貪婪的人，喜歡金子勝過世界上任何東西。
一天，他要求眾神給他更多的金子。眾神決定懲罰他，就說：“好的，明天一早，你摸到的任何東西都會變成金子。”
邁達斯聽到這話，高興極了。“我要成為世界上最富有的人，”他自言自語地說。
第二天一大早他就起床了。他一摸床，床就變成了金子；他一穿衣服，衣服也變成了金子。邁達斯心裡樂開了花。
邁達斯喜歡花，他有一座美麗的花園。他走進花園去賞花。這天天氣晴朗，陽光明媚，玫瑰花香醉人。他摘了一朵，但花兒在他手裡變成了金子。他又摘下一朵，也變成了金子。他一碰花，花就變成金子，這使他很難過，因為他喜愛花朵鮮豔的色彩。
國王去吃早餐，他端起一杯牛奶，牛奶立刻凝結成一塊金子。接著，他拿起一塊麵包，麵包也變成了金子。邁達斯開始感到不高興了。做世界上最富有的人固然好，但是他餓呀，他不能吃金子喝金子呀！
邁達斯走出宮殿，又來到了花園。他的小女兒正在那兒。女兒一見到他，就跑到他跟前。邁達斯國王非常喜愛他的女兒，便親切地吻她，一剎那間，他女兒變成了一尊金塑像。
邁達斯這時非常傷心。他走進宮去，兩眼噙滿了淚水。他乞求眾神除去他的點金術。
“我真是太傻了，這麼貪愛金子，”他說。“把金子都拿去吧，把女兒還給我。”
“到你花園旁邊的那條河去，”眾神說，“洗一洗手，河水就會把點金術除掉。”邁達斯走到河邊洗了雙手。然後，趕快朝已經變成了金塑像的小女兒跑去。他又親吻了她一下，他美麗的小女兒就變回來了。
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