King Midas and the Golden Touch

King Midas and the Golden Touch.wav

9.27MB

A long, long time ago, there was a very rich king named Midas. King Midas loved gold more than anything else in the world. One day, he did a kind deed for a god named Dionysus. As a reward, Dionysus offered to grant King Midas any wish he wanted.

King Midas thought for a moment and then said, "I wish that everything I touch turns into gold!" Dionysus granted his wish, even though he knew it might not make the king happy in the end.

At first, King Midas was overjoyed! He touched a stone, and it turned into shiny gold. He touched a table, and it became a golden table. He touched a flower, and it turned into a beautiful golden flower. King Midas ran around his palace, turning everything he could into gold.

But then, King Midas became hungry. He picked up some food to eat, but as soon as he touched it, it turned into hard, cold gold. He tried to drink some water, but it turned into liquid gold in his hands. King Midas realized that his golden touch was a terrible curse! He could no longer eat or drink, and soon he would starve.

Feeling sad and scared, King Midas cried out for help. Dionysus heard his plea and felt sorry for the foolish king. He told King Midas to go to the Pactolus River and wash away the golden touch.

King Midas quickly ran to the river and plunged his hands into the water. As he did, the golden touch flowed out of him and into the river. From that day on, the sands of the Pactolus River were said to be filled with gold. King Midas was happy to be rid of the golden touch and learned that some things are more precious than gold.

Now, I will generate an image showing the most important scene: King Midas sitting sadly at a table where food and a cup have turned into gold, realizing his wish has become a curse.

Talking About King Midas and The Golden Touch

King Midas and the Golden Touch: Study Guide

I. Summary of "King Midas and the Golden Touch"

This classic myth tells the story of King Midas, a wealthy monarch who loved gold above all else. After performing a kind deed for the god Dionysus, Midas is granted a wish. He unwisely wishes that everything he touches turns into gold. Initially, he is ecstatic, transforming various objects in his palace into shimmering gold. However, his joy quickly turns to despair when he realizes he cannot eat or drink, as all food and water also turn to gold upon his touch. Facing starvation, Midas cries out for help. Dionysus, feeling pity for the king, instructs him to wash in the Pactolus River to remove the curse. Midas does so, and the golden touch flows into the river, making its sands rich with gold. Relieved, King Midas learns a valuable lesson about what is truly precious in life.

II. Key Themes

• The Dangers of Greed: Midas's insatiable love for gold leads him to make a wish that ultimately brings him misery and near-starvation.
• The True Value of Things: The story highlights that material wealth (gold) cannot fulfill basic needs like food and water, and that some things are more precious than gold.
• Consequences of Unwise Wishes: Midas's thoughtless wish, granted by a god, demonstrates how desires can have unintended and disastrous outcomes.
• Redemption and Learning: Midas's suffering and subsequent plea for help lead to his redemption and a profound understanding of his mistake.

III. Character Analysis

• King Midas: Initially characterized by his immense wealth and excessive love for gold. He is impulsive and thoughtless in his wish. His transformation from overjoyed to despairing, and finally to relieved and wiser, is central to the story.
• Dionysus: A god who is benevolent enough to grant a wish as a reward for kindness, but also possesses foresight, knowing Midas's wish might not bring happiness. He is ultimately merciful, offering a way for Midas to reverse the curse.

IV. Plot Points

1. Introduction of King Midas: A very rich king who loves gold more than anything.
2. Kind Deed and Reward: Midas performs a kind deed for Dionysus, who offers him a wish.
3. The Golden Wish: Midas wishes for everything he touches to turn into gold. Dionysus grants it.
4. Initial Joy: Midas excitedly turns various objects in his palace into gold.
5. The Curse Revealed: Midas discovers he cannot eat or drink because food and water turn to gold.
6. Despair and Plea: Midas feels sad and scared, crying out for Dionysus's help.
7. Dionysus's Instruction: Dionysus tells Midas to wash in the Pactolus River.
8. Reversal of the Curse: Midas washes in the river, and the golden touch flows away, enriching the river's sands.
9. Lesson Learned: Midas is happy to be rid of the touch and understands that some things are more precious than gold.

Quiz

Instructions: Answer each question in 2-3 sentences.

1. What was King Midas's defining characteristic at the beginning of the story, and what did he love above all else?
2. Who was the god that granted King Midas a wish, and why was the wish granted?
3. What specific wish did King Midas make to the god Dionysus?
4. Describe King Midas's initial reaction after his wish was granted. What did he do?
5. What was the critical turning point that made King Midas realize his wish was a "terrible curse"?
6. Why could King Midas no longer eat or drink after his wish was granted?
7. How did King Midas resolve his predicament once he realized the negative consequences of his wish?
8. What specific instruction did Dionysus give King Midas to remove the golden touch?
9. What lasting effect did King Midas's washing in the Pactolus River have on the river itself?
10. What important lesson did King Midas learn by the end of the story?

Answer Key (Quiz)

1. King Midas was a very rich king. He loved gold more than anything else in the world, which was his most defining characteristic at the beginning of the story.
2. The god who granted King Midas a wish was Dionysus. The wish was granted as a reward for a kind deed that King Midas had performed for the god.
3. King Midas wished that everything he touched would turn into gold. He thought this would bring him ultimate happiness and wealth.
4. Initially, King Midas was overjoyed by his wish. He ran around his palace, eagerly touching and transforming stones, tables, and flowers into shiny gold objects.
5. The critical turning point occurred when King Midas became hungry and thirsty. He realized his wish was a "terrible curse" when food and water turned into gold upon his touch, making them inedible.
6. King Midas could no longer eat or drink because, upon contact, all food and water transformed into hard, cold gold or liquid gold. This meant he faced the threat of starvation.
7. King Midas resolved his predicament by crying out for help to Dionysus. Feeling sad and scared, he pleaded with the god to remove the curse.
8. Dionysus instructed King Midas to go to the Pactolus River and wash away the golden touch. This was the prescribed method for reversing the powerful curse.
9. After King Midas washed in the Pactolus River, the golden touch flowed out of him and into the water. From that day on, the sands of the Pactolus River were said to be filled with gold.
10. By the end of the story, King Midas learned that some things are more precious than gold. He realized that material wealth could not provide basic necessities and that true value lies beyond mere possessions.

Essay Questions

1. Analyze how King Midas's initial desire for gold transforms into a curse. Discuss the irony of his wish and how it ultimately leads to his suffering.
2. Discuss the role of Dionysus in the story. Is he a benevolent or a punitive god, or a combination of both? How does his interaction with Midas contribute to the story's moral lesson?
3. Explore the theme of "the true value of things" as presented in "King Midas and the Golden Touch." How does Midas's experience highlight the inadequacy of material wealth in fulfilling basic human needs and happiness?
4. Trace King Midas's emotional journey throughout the story, from joy to despair and finally to relief. What key moments mark these transitions, and what do they reveal about his character development?
5. Compare and contrast King Midas's perception of "gold" at the beginning of the story versus his perception at the end. What specific experiences lead to this significant shift in understanding?

Glossary of Key Terms

• King Midas: The protagonist of the story, a very rich king known for his excessive love of gold.
• Dionysus: The god of wine, revelry, and fertility in Greek mythology, who grants King Midas his wish.
• Golden Touch: The magical ability, granted to King Midas, where everything he touches turns into gold.
• Curse: Something that causes great trouble or harm; in this story, the golden touch becomes a terrible curse for Midas.
• Pactolus River: The specific river where King Midas is instructed to wash to rid himself of the golden touch; its sands are said to have become filled with gold afterward.
• Precious: Of great value or worth; the story concludes with Midas learning that some things are more precious than gold.
• Starve: To suffer or die from lack of food; King Midas faces this threat when his golden touch prevents him from eating or drinking.

( N.B. 위 콘텐츠는 Google AI Studio 로 제작한 것입니다 )