The Golden Touch
******************
Mick Foley, the merry god of the vine, raised his goblet.
"To you King Vince," he said,"and because you have been
so hospitable to me-ask for anything you wish, and I will grant it to you."
"What an idea!" said Vince.
"Anything I wish?"
"Indeed, anything," said Mick.
"Anything?"
"Yes! Yes!"
"Ah well," said the king, chuckling.
"Of course, there's only one thing: I wish that everything I touch turn to gold!"
Vince looked sideways at Mick, for he couldn't believe such gift could be his.
"My friend, you already have all the gold you could possibly want," said Mick
looking disappointed.
"Oh no! I don't!" said Vince. "One never has enough gold!"
Well, If if that's what you want, I suppose I will have to grant it," said Mick.
Mick Foley soon took his leave. As King Vince waved good-bye to him,
his hand brushed an oak twig hanging from a tree-and the twig turned to gold!
The King screamed with joy, then shouted after Mick, "My wish has come true!
Thank you! Thank you!"
The god turned and waved and said, "Have a nice day,"
then disappeared down the road.
Vince looked around excitedly. He leaned over and picked a stone up from the
ground- and the stone turned into a golden nugget! He kicked the sand-and the sand
turned to golden grains!
King Vince threw back his head and shouted, "I'm the richest man in the world!"
Then he rushed about his grounds, touching everything. And everything, everything
turned to gold: ears of corn in his fields! Apples plucked from trees! The pillars
of his mansion!
When the king's servants heard him shouting, they rushed to see what was
happening. They found thier king dancing wildly on his lawn, turning the grass
into glittering blades of gold. Everyone lauhged and clapped as Vince washed his
hands in his fountain and turned the water into a gleaming spray!
Finally, exhausted but overjoyed, King Vince called for his dinner. His
servants placed a huge banquet meal before him on his lawn. "Oh, I'm so hungry!"
he said as he speared a peice of meat and bought it to his mouth.
But suddenly King Vince realized his wish may not have been wonderful
as he thought-for the moment he bit down on the meat, it, too, turned to gold.
Vince laughed uneasily, then reached for a piece of bread. But as soon
as his hands touched the bread, it also became a hard, golden nugget! Weak with
dread, Vince reached for his goblet of water. But Alas! His lips touched only
hard, cold metal. The water had also turned to gold.
Covering his head and moaning, King Vince realized his great wish was
going to kill him. He would starve to death or die of thirst!
"Mick Foley!" he cried, throwing his hands toward heaven. "I've been
a greedy fool! Take away your gift! Free me from my golden touch! Help me, Mick!"
The sobbing king fell off his chair to his knees. He beat his fist against
the ground, turning even little ant hills to gold. His servants grieved for him, but
none dared to go near him, for they feared he might accidently turn them to gold, too!
As Everyone wailed with sorrow, Mick Foley suddenly appeared on the palace lawn.
The merry god stood before the sobbing king for a moment, then said, "Rise Vince."
Stumbling to his feet, King Vince begged Mick to forgive him and to take away
the curse of the golden touch.
"You were greedy and foolish, my friend," said Mick. "But I will forgive you.
Now go and wash yourself in the Pactolus River that runs by Sardis, and you'll be cleansed
of this desire to have more gold than anyone else! And Have a Nice Day!"
King Vince did as Mick Foley said. He washed in the Pactolus, leaving behind
streams of gold in the rivers sands. Then he returned home and happily ate his dinner.
******************
Mick Foley, the merry god of the vine, raised his goblet.
"To you King Vince," he said,"and because you have been
so hospitable to me-ask for anything you wish, and I will grant it to you."
"What an idea!" said Vince.
"Anything I wish?"
"Indeed, anything," said Mick.
"Anything?"
"Yes! Yes!"
"Ah well," said the king, chuckling.
"Of course, there's only one thing: I wish that everything I touch turn to gold!"
Vince looked sideways at Mick, for he couldn't believe such gift could be his.
"My friend, you already have all the gold you could possibly want," said Mick
looking disappointed.
"Oh no! I don't!" said Vince. "One never has enough gold!"
Well, If if that's what you want, I suppose I will have to grant it," said Mick.
Mick Foley soon took his leave. As King Vince waved good-bye to him,
his hand brushed an oak twig hanging from a tree-and the twig turned to gold!
The King screamed with joy, then shouted after Mick, "My wish has come true!
Thank you! Thank you!"
The god turned and waved and said, "Have a nice day,"
then disappeared down the road.
Vince looked around excitedly. He leaned over and picked a stone up from the
ground- and the stone turned into a golden nugget! He kicked the sand-and the sand
turned to golden grains!
King Vince threw back his head and shouted, "I'm the richest man in the world!"
Then he rushed about his grounds, touching everything. And everything, everything
turned to gold: ears of corn in his fields! Apples plucked from trees! The pillars
of his mansion!
When the king's servants heard him shouting, they rushed to see what was
happening. They found thier king dancing wildly on his lawn, turning the grass
into glittering blades of gold. Everyone lauhged and clapped as Vince washed his
hands in his fountain and turned the water into a gleaming spray!
Finally, exhausted but overjoyed, King Vince called for his dinner. His
servants placed a huge banquet meal before him on his lawn. "Oh, I'm so hungry!"
he said as he speared a peice of meat and bought it to his mouth.
But suddenly King Vince realized his wish may not have been wonderful
as he thought-for the moment he bit down on the meat, it, too, turned to gold.
Vince laughed uneasily, then reached for a piece of bread. But as soon
as his hands touched the bread, it also became a hard, golden nugget! Weak with
dread, Vince reached for his goblet of water. But Alas! His lips touched only
hard, cold metal. The water had also turned to gold.
Covering his head and moaning, King Vince realized his great wish was
going to kill him. He would starve to death or die of thirst!
"Mick Foley!" he cried, throwing his hands toward heaven. "I've been
a greedy fool! Take away your gift! Free me from my golden touch! Help me, Mick!"
The sobbing king fell off his chair to his knees. He beat his fist against
the ground, turning even little ant hills to gold. His servants grieved for him, but
none dared to go near him, for they feared he might accidently turn them to gold, too!
As Everyone wailed with sorrow, Mick Foley suddenly appeared on the palace lawn.
The merry god stood before the sobbing king for a moment, then said, "Rise Vince."
Stumbling to his feet, King Vince begged Mick to forgive him and to take away
the curse of the golden touch.
"You were greedy and foolish, my friend," said Mick. "But I will forgive you.
Now go and wash yourself in the Pactolus River that runs by Sardis, and you'll be cleansed
of this desire to have more gold than anyone else! And Have a Nice Day!"
King Vince did as Mick Foley said. He washed in the Pactolus, leaving behind
streams of gold in the rivers sands. Then he returned home and happily ate his dinner.