點石成金的邁達斯國王
Long ago, in ancient Greece, there lived a king called Midas. He was very rich, but he loved gold more than anything else in the world – more, even, than his own daughter, although he didn't realise it.
One day, Midas helped an old friend of the god Dionysus, who had got lost. To thank him, Dionysus offered the king a reward. "Ask for anything you like," he said, "and it shall be yours."
Midas didn't need to think for long. "I wish that everything I touch would turn to gold."
"Are you sure?" asked the god.
"Absolutely sure," said Midas.
"Very well. From tomorrow morning, you shall have the golden touch."
The next morning, Midas woke up and touched his bed. At once, it turned to shining gold. He laughed with delight. He ran around the palace, touching everything he could see. Chairs, tables, doors and statues all turned to gold. He picked a rose in the garden, and it became a golden rose, hard and cold.
By lunchtime, Midas was very hungry. His servants brought him bread, meat and a cup of wine. But as soon as he picked up the bread, it turned into a lump of gold. When he lifted the cup to his lips, the wine became liquid gold. He couldn't eat or drink anything at all.
Just then, his young daughter ran into the room. She had been crying, because all the roses in the garden had turned to metal and had lost their sweet smell. Without thinking, Midas reached out to comfort her. The moment he touched her, she stopped moving. His beloved daughter had become a golden statue.
Midas fell to his knees and wept. "What have I done?" he cried. "Take this terrible gift away! I don't want any gold. I just want my daughter back."
Dionysus heard him and took pity on him. "Go to the river," he said, "and wash in its water. The golden touch will leave you. Then pour the water over everything you wish to change back."
Midas ran to the river and jumped in. He filled a jug with water, hurried home and poured it over his daughter. Slowly, the colour came back to her cheeks, and she opened her eyes. Midas hugged her tightly, and this time she stayed warm and soft in his arms.
From that day on, Midas was a different man. He still had enough gold to live comfortably, but he knew that it was worth far less than the people he loved.
很久很久以前，在古希臘有一位國王，名叫邁達斯。他非常富有，可是他愛金子勝過世上的一切——甚至勝過他自己的女兒，只是他自己並沒有察覺。
有一天，邁達斯幫助了酒神戴奧尼索斯的一位老朋友，那人迷了路。為了答謝他，戴奧尼索斯說要給國王一個獎賞。「你想要什麼都可以，」他說，「我都會給你。」
邁達斯幾乎想都沒想。「我希望我碰到的每一樣東西都能變成金子。」
「你確定嗎？」神問。
「當然確定。」邁達斯說。
「好吧。從明天早上起，你就會有點石成金的能力。」
隔天早上，邁達斯醒來，摸了摸他的床。床一下子變成閃閃發亮的金子。他高興得哈哈大笑。他在宮殿裡跑來跑去，把看得到的東西都摸了一遍。椅子、桌子、門和雕像，全都變成了金子。他在花園裡摘下一朵玫瑰，玫瑰也變成一朵金玫瑰，又硬又冰。
到了中午，邁達斯餓壞了。僕人們替他端來麵包、肉和一杯葡萄酒。可是他才拿起麵包，麵包就變成一塊金塊。他把杯子舉到嘴邊，酒也變成了金色的液體。他什麼也吃不下，什麼也喝不了。
就在這時，他的小女兒跑進房間。她剛哭過，因為花園裡所有的玫瑰都變成了金屬，再也沒有甜甜的香味了。邁達斯想都沒想，就伸手去安慰她。他一碰到女兒，女兒就一動也不動了。他心愛的女兒變成了一座金像。
邁達斯跪倒在地，痛哭失聲。「我到底做了什麼？」他喊道，「把這可怕的能力收回去吧！我一點金子都不要了，我只要我的女兒回來。」
戴奧尼索斯聽見了，同情起他來。「到河邊去，」他說，「用河水洗一洗，點金的能力就會離開你。然後，把河水澆在你想變回原樣的東西上。」
邁達斯跑到河邊，跳了進去。他用水壺裝滿了水，急急忙忙趕回家，把水澆在女兒身上。慢慢地，女兒的臉頰恢復了血色，她睜開了眼睛。邁達斯緊緊抱住她，這一次，女兒在他懷裡依然是溫暖又柔軟的。
從那天起，邁達斯像變了一個人。他的金子還是足夠讓他過得舒舒服服，但他明白了，金子遠遠比不上他所愛的人。