The Golden Touch

                                                                   
   Bacchus, the merry god of the vine, said to King Midas, "I will give you any gift, because you have been so hospitable to me. So, what do you wish for?" 
   "I can have anything?" King Midas asked.
   "Anything."
   " Then I wish that everything I touch will turn to GOLD!" the King said, chuckling.
   "My friend, you already have enough gold. Is there anything else you want?" Bacchus replied.
   "Oh no I don't! One never has enough gold."
    "As you wish," and Bacchus turned to leave.
   As he walked away, King Midas waved and his hand brushed a twig. The twig turned to GOLD!!! 
   He celebrated and danced around his yard, grabbing apples from trees and washing his hands in the water. Everything turned to gold.
   Soon he was tired and wanted a meal to celebrate, but when he stuck his fork into the meat and brought it into his mouth, the beef turned to solid gold! He laughed and grabbed for a piece of bread, but that too turned to gold. Soon he realized that this "gift" was going to kill him. He threw back his head and screamed,"Bacchus! Take my gift away! I was a greedy fool! PLEASE!!!" He fell to the floor, crying. 
   Suddenly, Bacchus appeared. "Stand, Midas."
    "Please take the gift away. Forgive me." Midas begged.
    "You were  greedy and foolish, but I will forgive you. Go and bath in the Pactolus River that runs by Sardis."
    Midas did as he was told, and when he stepped out of the river, his gift was gone. As he walked back to his palace, overjoyed, he left trails of gold in the water behind him.
        The moral was to not be greedy and to be thankful for what you have. There is gold in some waters, so this myth may have been created to explain the gold streaks in the sand and water.