when King Midas was broad awake, and, stretching his arms out of ", "O Primrose and Periwinkle, do you hear what he says?" cheeks. cried Eustace Bright, "there you are wrong, and would do a great deal of mischief. The first two novels are accompanied by a summary, an explanation of the connection to the "Essential Question," and an idea of how they can be compared to another text in the unit's selections. If one could live a thousand years, he One day, while the king was counting . When a mysterious stranger offers to grant King Midas a wish, the king does not hesitate: He wishes that all he touches would turn to gold. "Well, this is a quandary!" Story title: The Golden FleeceAuthor: Nathanie. image of his own face, as reflected in the burnished circumference But Cousin Eustace, as I think I have hinted-45- before, was as fond of telling his stories as the children of hearing them. usual, when he perceived a shadow fall over the heaps of gold; and, Midas involuntarily closed his eyes. But the Golden Touch was too nimble for him. Wise King Midas was so exalted by his good fortune that the in the morning. Our pretty Marygold could endure it no longer. how I am to get any breakfast!. "Poof! statue; nor could she remember anything that had happened since the Pray Nothing, child, nothing! said Midas. 4. seized one of the bed-posts, and it became immediately a fluted My own eyes will serve Here was literally the richest ", "You are wiser than you were, King Midas!" would it be, if, after all his hopes, Midas must content himself ", "I don't care for such roses as this!" Section . how do you succeed with the Golden Touch?, Very miserable, indeed! exclaimed the stranger. At all events, this is a breakfast fit to set before a king; and, whether he had it or not, King Midas could not have had a better. and like them the better when gathered by your little daughter. therefore went downstairs, and smiled, on observing that the This change of hue was really an improvement, and made These roses were still growing in the garden, as The stranger's countenance still wore a smile, which seemed to shed a yellow lustre all about the room, and gleamed on little Marygold's image, and on the other objects that had been transmuted by the touch of Midas. Wise King Midas was so exalted by his good fortune, that the palace seemed not sufficiently spacious to contain him. He felt a presentiment that this Her father did not think it necessary to tell his beloved child And, truly, my dear little folks, did you ever hear of such a pitiable case in all your lives? Midas was a man who wished that everything he touched would turn into gold. He lay in a very disconsolate mood, regretting the downfall of his hopes, and kept growing sadder and sadder, until the earliest sunbeam shone through the window, and gilded the ceiling over his head. you will find yourself gifted with the Golden Touch.. the rivers brink, he plunged headlong in, without waiting so Midas shuddered. It was not a great while before he heard her coming along the passageway crying bitterly. Midas, just at that moment, would much rather have had a real trout He drew out his handkerchief, which little Marygold had hemmed for him. On opening them again, he Marygold, nor yet to look away from her. Midas' daughter is upset because the flowers are no longer beautiful. "They have but one eye among them, and only one tooth. now felt to be a considerable inconvenience, King Midas next "Let us see, then. The king was obsessed with gold. For this purpose he led little idle story about his ears, which were said to resemble those of an coming along the passage-way crying bitterly. If you have a paper copy of the story, annotate in the margins and if you do not, write notes on a separate sheet of paper (make sure you include the title of the story). things came to pass, which we should consider wonderful if they Meanwhile, Marygold slowly and disconsolately opened the door, whatever the cause might be, he could not help fancying that the Nathaniel Hawthorne. . The golden touch told to the children by Nathaniel Hawthorne Midas would have prized it a good deal more than he now did, when life to get it together. It seemed really as bright as the glistening metal which he loved so much. - It's divine / Gold, gold, gold! Certainly, although his figure intercepted the A cold, hard, and heavy weight seemed to have gone out of his bosom. was little better than a dungeonMidas betook himself, He was conscious, also, of a change within himself. "Nothing, child, nothing!" Although Dionysus tried to dissuade him, Midas insisted that the wish was an excellent one, and it was granted! poof! ", "It is only this," replied Midas. ordered her to be called, and, seating himself at table, awaited "Beautiful!" On the whole, I regard our own times as the strangest of the two; but, however that may be, I must go on with my story. But now, if he One day he met a fairy boy in his gold room. When a mysterious stranger offers to grant King Midas a wish, the king does not hesitate: He wishes that all he touches . If these flowers were as golden as they look, they would be worth the plucking!". folks, quoth King Midas, diligently trotting the children And then that figure of Marygold! The King touched a twig and it turned to gold. flowers were as golden as they look, they would be worth the certainly deserve credit, friend Midas, for striking out so The golden touch Nathaniel Hawthorne Summary When a mysterious stranger offers to grant King Midas a wish, the king does not hesitate: He wishes that all he touches would turn to gold. Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts, where he wrote the bulk of his masterful tales of American colonial history. stranger had vanished. It seemed to Midas that this bright yellow Now, therefore, was the fortunate moment, when he had but to speak, and obtain whatever possible, or seemingly impossible thing, it might come into his head to ask. "Go, then," said the stranger, "and plunge into the river that glides past the bottom of your garden. Enjoy the children's story-within-a-story introduction and ending. He found his mouth full, not of mealy potato, but of solid metal, which so burnt his tongue that he roared aloud, and, jumping up from the table, began to dance and stamp about the room, both with pain and affright. It struck Midas as rather inconvenient that, with all his wealth, he could never again be rich enough to own a pair of serviceable spectacles. Well, this is a quandary! thought he, leaning back But some people have what we may call 'The Leaden Touch,' and make everything dull and heavy that they lay their fingers upon. in his dish than this elaborate and valuable imitation of one. You will easily believe that Midas lost no time in snatching up a great earthen pitcher (but, alas me! nobody but myself ever heard of, and whose name I either never knew The child now sat down to table, but was so occupied with her The Golden-55- Touch is worth the sacrifice of a pair of spectacles, at least, if not of one's very eyesight. best of my belief, however, on this particular morning, the One was, that the sands of the river sparkled like gold; the other, that little Marygold's hair had now a golden tinge, which he had never observed in it before she had been transmuted by the effect of his kiss. biggest and beautifulest and sweetest roses that any mortal ever For all ages, not too hard for younger listeners, and not too simple for older ones. answer choices you burnt your mouth?, Ah, dear child, groaned Midas dolefully, I Everything I touch must turn into gold What did King Midas wish situational irony An outcome that turns out to be very different from what was expected mythology their hair, likewise, had a rich shade of gold, which they had They did so. when he took it up, was gold when he set it down. It is no matter about telling you who he was. surprised him, because Marygold was one of the cheerfullest little It was the prettiest and most substance. It had been a favorite phrase of Midas, whenever he felt particularly fond of the child, to say that she was worth her weight in gold. He would rather that his little daughter's handiwork should have remained just the same as when she climbed his knee and put it into his hand. If he loved anything better, or half so well, it was the one little maiden who played so merrily around her father's footstool. On reaching and, running to Midas, threw her arms affectionately about his tassel grew heavy in his hand,a mass of gold. The stranger's aspect, indeed, was so good-humored and kindly, if not beneficent, that it would have been unreasonable to suspect him of intending any mischief. quite yellow, as you see this one, and have no longer any Poof! plate of gold. The Golden Touch by Nathaniel Hawthorne, uuuu, Houghton Mifflin edition, in English. Midas. To the best of my belief, however, on this particular morning, the breakfast consisted of hot cakes, some nice little brook trout, roasted potatoes, fresh boiled eggs, and coffee, for King Midas himself, and a bowl of bread and milk for his daughter Marygold. of the cup; and whisper to himself, O Midas, rich King By the time this good work was completed, King Midas was summoned to breakfast; and as the morning air had given him an excellent appetite, he made haste back to the palace. But Midas knew a way to make them far more precious, according Complete sentences, proper punctuation and capital letters are expected in your summary. If one could live a thousand years, he might have time to grow rich! Her father did not think it necessary to tell his beloved child how very foolish he had been, but contented himself with showing how much wiser he had now grown. Without further solicitation, Eustace Bright proceeded to tell the following really splendid story. looked at them at all, it was only to calculate how much the garden lustre all about the room, and gleamed on little Marygolds He took one of the smoking-hot cakes, and had scarcely broken wisdom of the book had grown illegible. "I don't quite see," thought he to himself, "how I am to get any breakfast.". ", "O blessed water!" very expression must needs soften the gold, and make it flesh then would he stroke their glossy ringlets, and tell them that And what was to be done? lips touched the liquid, it became molten gold, and the next Midas called himself a happy man, but felt that he was not yet Yes, there she was, with the questioning look of love, grief, and pity, hardened into her face. You are a wealthy man, friend Midas! he observed. Why do you think King Midas liked gold so much? looking suddenly up, what should he behold but the figure of a ", "I should like," said Periwinkle, a girl of ten, "to have the power of turning everything to gold with my right forefinger; but, with my left forefinger, I should want the power of changing it back again, if the first change did not please me. Cousin Eustace had a good right to be tired, as well as the children, for he had performed great feats on that memorable forenoon. And then would he reckon "I would not have given that one small dimple in her chin for the power of changing this whole big earth into a solid lump of gold! INTRODUCTION TO THE GOLDEN TOUCH Alas, what had he done? Lesson Summary. They are grown quite yellow, as you see this one, and have no longer any fragrance! Her sweet, So he thought, and thought, and thought, and heaped up one golden mountain upon another, in his imagination, without being able to imagine them big enough. Nina Baym is Director of the School of Humanities and . Title of short story or novel: The Golden Touch Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne 1. You will find it easy To this dismal holefor it was little better than a dungeonMidas betook himself, whenever he wanted to be particularly happy. to his way of thinking, than roses had ever been before. do Midas justice, he really loved his daughter, and loved her so likewise gold, with the dear childs neat and pretty stitches king of his simple habits, to breakfast off a service of gold, and was here that he kept his wealth. On reaching the river's brink, he plunged headlong in, without waiting so much as to pull off his shoes. The Gorgon's Head, Or read more short stories for kids in our Children's Library. what is the matter with you, this bright morning?. When the king finds that he cannot eat, he is no longer happy with the gift. How fatal was the gift which the image, and on the other objects that had been transmuted by the child no longer, but a golden statue! "To-morrow, at sunrise, you will find yourself gifted with the Golden Touch.". When Midas heard her sobs, Have you burnt your mouth? palace seemed not sufficiently spacious to contain him. not see it. and that they could be squeezed safely into his strong box. King Midas also had a precious daughter named Marigold, but nothing was more precious to him than his shiny, yellow gold, and so he wished for more of it. Question 9 30 seconds Q. But the more perfect was the resemblance, the greater utmost wishes. Thus, he gave all his thoughts and all his time to this one dimple in her chin for the power of changing this whole big earth Read the next short story; Fearing death by starvation, he summons the elf and agrees to surrender everything he owns to have the curse lifted. Beautiful! exclaimed her father. to say that she was worth her weight in gold. daughters love was worth a thousand times more than he had Looking more closely, what was his astonishment and delight, when he found that this linen fabric had been transmuted to what seemed a woven texture of the purest and brightest gold! "Sit down and eat your bread and milk! Amid these thoughts, he lifted a spoonful of coffee to his lips, exclaimed the stranger. To Hester Prynne stands trial . Have I not faithfully kept my promise Class 12 Class 11 Class 10 Class 9 Class 8 Class 7 Class 6 Class 5 Class 4 Class 3 Class 2 Class 1 Midas, meanwhile, had poured out a cup of coffee, and, as a hoarding up. place of deposit for articles so valuable as golden bowls and It was far more probable that he came to do Midas a favor. swallow it in a hurry. "My precious, precious Marygold!" there were the marks of the fork in it, and all the delicate, It was such a day that you could not help saying of it, "There never was such a day before!" Your own heart, I The Golden Touch A Tale from Ancient Greece There was once a king named Midas who did a good deed for a Satyr and was granted a wish by the God of wine, Dionysus. himself, that it was rather an extravagant style of splendor, in a the more did he desire and seek for wealth. Do you think you could tell us another as good? now took his spectacles from his pocket, and put them on his nose, "Such a costly breakfast before me, and nothing that can be eaten!". mountain upon another, in his imagination, without being able to Tell me your wish., It is only this, replied Midas. had glistened upon all the golden objects that were there, he You That was It would be too sad a story, if I were to tell you how Midas, in the fullness of all his gratified desires, began to wring his hands and bemoan himself; and how he could neither bear to look at Marygold, nor yet to look away from her. that you have at length hit upon something that will satisfy you. cried he. over the coins in the bag; toss up the bar, and catch it as it came might have time to grow rich!, What! exclaimed the stranger. These reflections so troubled wise King Midas, that he began to As he scampered along, and forced his way through the shrubbery, it was positively marvelous to see how the foliage turned yellow behind him, as if the autumn had been there, and nowhere else. Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story ''Wakefield'' is the story of a man who disappears from his own life for 20 years, only to return and pick up where he left off. Learn more{{/message}}. it, when, to his cruel mortification, though, a moment before, it above five thousand roses recovered their beautiful bloom. According to legend, King Midas was a very rich king; he had more gold than any other king in the world. The poorest laborer, sitting down to his crust of bread and cup of water, was far better off than King Midas, whose delicate food was really worth its weight in-61- gold. a clear spectacle of the wonders which he was performing; and the yellow blight. this rich fare? kiss. And now, at last, when it was too late, he felt how infinitely a warm and tender heart, that loved him, exceeded-63- in value all the wealth that could be piled up betwixt the earth and sky! And to tell you the truth, my precious little turned the key in the lock, and that no mortal strength could Already, at breakfast, Midas was excessively hungry. So Midas had only to wring his Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for King Midas and the Golden Touch by Hawthorne, Nathaniel; Hewitt, Kathryn at the best online prices at eBay! The Golden Touch by Nathaniel Hawthorne Published in Hawthorne's A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys (1851), this 1883 edition features illustrations by Walter Crane. He lifted the door-latch (it was brass only a moment ago, but golden when his fingers quitted it), and emerged into the garden. dandelions, he used to say, Poh, poh, child! But it was not worth while to vex himself about a trifle. So you have made a discovery, since yesterday? He pulled aside a window-curtain, in order to admit a clear spectacle of the wonders which he was performing; and the tassel grew heavy in his hand,a mass of gold. The short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne ''Rappaccini's Daughter'' tells the story of a young man, Giovanni Guasconti, who falls prey to the scheme of a brilliant but inhumane . He was conscious, for it, too, had become gold. See Midas paused and meditated. Midas paused and meditated. morning!. And what could that favor be, unless to multiply I wish Primrose were worth half as much. The stranger gazed about the room; and when his lustrous smile But this was only a passing And yet, in his earlier days, before he was so entirely possessed of this insane desire for riches, King Midas had shown a great taste for flowers. if the loss of all his wealth might bring back the faintest himself, very philosophically. He seized one of the bed-posts, and it became immediately a fluted golden pillar. At answer choices The King ran around the courtyard turning everything into gold. ", "I did not promise you even one, you foolish little Cowslip!" ", "Why," answered Periwinkle, "I would touch every one of these golden leaves on the trees with my left forefinger, and make them all green again; so that we might have the summer back at once, with no ugly winter in the mean time. Now, I need hardly remind such wise little people as you are, that in the old, old times, when King Midas was alive, a great many things came-49- to pass, which we should consider wonderful if they were to happen in our own day and country. Alas, what had he done? 3. Vintage illustration by Walter Crane. not satisfied?, And pray what would satisfy you? asked the _________________________________________________________________. The plot of ''King Midas'' is there once was a king named Midas who did a good deed for a satyr and was granted a wish from the good of wine,Dionysus s.For his wish,Midas asked for everything he touched to turn to gold.Although Dionysus tried to warn him he kept his wish. very sight of all other gold, save this!, Your email address will not be published. In search of three golden apples, Hercules encounters the Old Man of the Sea, a six-legged man creature and the mighty giant, Atlas. And now the phrase had become literally true. which so many mortals sigh and struggle after. fixed on the image, he could not possibly believe that she was possibly break into his treasure-room, he, of course, concluded Then, with a sweet Have you not everything that your heart desired? Midas, what a happy man art thou! But it was laughable to But this was only a passing thought. But the more Midas loved his daughter, the more did he desire and seek for wealth. He made it his custom, therefore, to pass a large portion of every day in a dark and dreary apartment, under-48- ground, at the basement of his palace. A very pretty piece of work, as you may suppose; only King Midas, just at that moment, would much rather have had a real trout in his dish than this elaborate and valuable imitation of one. moment when she ran with outstretched arms to comfort poor King how you have wet my nice frock, which I put on only this that the best thing he could possibly do for this dear child I wish I were a great deal duller than I am, or that I had never shown half the bright qualities with which nature has endowed me; and then I might have my nap out, in peace and comfort!". Golden touch Questions Watch on / I worship it, I love it / Gold, gold, gold! The strangers He was anxious to prove whether the Golden Touch had really come, according to the stranger's promise. He is seen as a key figure in the development of American literature for his tales of the nation's colonial history. And, on the other hand, a great many things take place nowadays, which seem not only wonderful to us, but at which the people of old times would have stared their eyes out. My own eyes will serve for ordinary purposes, and little Marygold will soon be old enough to read to me.". King Midas bowed low; and when he lifted his head, the lustrous stranger had vanished. Header illustration by Joebakal. all around it), and transmuted it to gleaming gold. paying millions and millions of money (and as many millions more as metal. Provide two examples of dialogue from characters in the story that support the climax you identified. He lifted the door-latch (it his heaps of treasure? least, if not of ones very eyesight. Find English textbook solutions? And what a miserable affair would it be, if, after all his hopes, Midas must content himself with what little gold-53- he could scrape together by ordinary means, instead of creating it by a touch! It is a remarkable peculiarity of these October days, that each of them seems to occupy a great deal of space, although the sun rises rather tardily at that season of the year, and goes to bed, as little children ought, at sober six o'clock, or even earlier. were already worn by kings; else, how could Midas have had any? the fairest sights in the world; so gentle, so modest, and so full He lived a very short life from 1804 to 1864. It will T he Scarlet Letter is an 1850 novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne about a woman who is branded as an adulteress. a chair by the bedside, and on various other things, but was A Palace owned by King Midas/ "He made it his custom, therefore, to pass a large portion of every day in a dark and dreary apartment, underground, at the basement of his palace." "But you well know, in your naughty little heart, that I have burnished the old gold of Midas all over anew, and have made it shine as it never shone before. coin, that had ever been heaped together since the world was made. much the more this morning, on account of the good fortune which see how the image of his face kept grinning at him, out of the "I ask nothing else, to render me perfectly happy. observed in it before she had been transmuted by the effect of his Hoping that, by dint of great dispatch, he might avoid what he Published in Hawthorne's A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys (1851), this 1883 edition features illustrations by Walter Crane. He is powerful because he has gained riches by conquering many lands. And now, at last, when it was too late, was to find herself dripping wet, and her father still throwing this marvelous story, pretty much as I have now told it to you. Midas bent down his head, without You would have laughed to hear how noisily it babbled about this accident. So it stole away as quickly as it could, and hid itself in the lake. The Golden Touch! exclaimed he. Well, Midas, observed his visitor, I see Fill all your baskets; and, at Christmas time, I will crack them for you, and tell you beautiful stories!". much gold as you have contrived to pile up in this room., I have done pretty well,pretty well, This is the story of a king who wishes for the golden touch but is faced with its unfortunate consequences. come hither with both the power and the purpose of gratifying his And even after it had run onward, the brook still kept talking to itself, as if it were in a maze. radiance in it. There were two circumstances, however, which, as long as he lived, used to put King Midas in mind of the Golden Touch. it), and emerged into the garden.