I hope this is more in line with what you want.

Maybe you could both look over it first and discuss it beforehand.

Single voice and minimal directions for sound etc, but wanted you to read it first – can happily slip some further ideas in, in this regard….

Note: Midas is cheerful to begin with and should be characterised like that but grows more and more unhappy as the story progresses.  And Dyonisus should sound like a true authoritative voice of reason.

Give me a bell as and when you would like. 

C

Midas

A cash register sounds – ( similar to that at the start of Pink Floyd’s ‘Money’, or the theme to ‘Are you Being Served’ )

After showing great kindness to his friend Dyonisus, a young man in Ancient Greece – called Midas became king.

Dyonisus granted Midas a special wish.

His wish was to choose whatever he wanted.

Midas had been poor. As a young boy he had had to seek out food for himself. His clothes had been poorly made and he could not treat his friends to gifts or presents. His home was untidy and cold. His mother could not afford to keep it clean. She was lonely and sad that Midas had to live this way.

So King Midas did not take long to think about what his wish would be. Looking at a stone on the path he thought, “Were that stone made of gold , I cuold exchange it, and the money could buy me things of great value”, he thought.

“Those things of great value could make me happy”, he continued.

He wanted to be rich.

And so he told his friend Dyonisus, ” I would like you to grant me the wish of being able to turn every thing I touch into the purest, most beautiful gold”.

At that time he wanted simply to provide plenty for his family and friends. “Gold is a treasure and people pay good money for it”, he said.

Sound of cash clinking and people poring over treasure

And soon the wish of King Midas had been granted by Dyonisus. Everything he touched turned into the most purest, beautiful gold.

Were he to pick up a flower as a gift to his mother – a daisy, buttuercup or poppy perhaps, there would be a glistening fizz in front of his eyes and the sound of beautiful music in his ears, as the flower transformed into gold.

( Cue appropriate SFX )

Should he want to give a birthday present to one of his friends, he would simply ask what they would like to receive, choose it for them and after a shimmering fizz in front of his eyes, and the sound of beautiful music in his ears, he would give it to them, knowing they would be happy.

( Cue appropriate SFX )

At first all was well. Midas was rich beyond measure and his family and friends were wealthy too. Everyone seemed happy.

But soon King Midas realised he had a problem.

Everything

he touched turned to gold.It was all very well giving people gifts and becoming rich, but at the dinner table he had to make sure that only his golden fork touched his food – what use is a apple made of gold to someone hungry? You can’t eat gold !

He could not give his mother a hug – he certainly didn’t want her to turn into gold…

And above all he could not thank his friend Dyonisus for granting Midas his wish. Not only because at the touch of King Midas Dyonisus would turn to gold – beautiful as it was – but because by now Midas had realised something very important.

When everything is gold, it becomes worthless.

“Dyonisus”, he said, “I wanted the best but I have lost that which most I love. Through my thoughtless greed I cannot touch the precious things I enjoy in my life. You granted my wish, but now I realise I did not need it. I became greedy.”

The two sat down together on a pair of rocks in the bright heat of Ancient Greece; King Midas’s turning instantly with a shimmering fizz into purest beuatiful gold – now worthless to Midas. He already had a palace of golden things to sit on.

“Let this be a lesson, King Midas”, said Dyonisus. Be careful and mindful what you wish for, for it may become true.”

King Midas was unhappy. But spent the rest of his days telling others about the lesson he had learned;

All that glitters is not gold.

Andrew,

 I have written three short stories/poems in different styles covering the life of our esteemed king with the golden touch.  They follow below, along with hard copy in the post – should be with you tomorrow.  I’ve tried to reflect as many aspects of his myth as I can – hence references to roses, greed  and honour.

 Hope you like them, in any case would appreciate your thoughts.

C

 —————————-

A Boy Of Golden Ambition

The young boy who was yet to discover his destiny as king was laughing.

Midas, in Greece – a country far, far away played in his rose garden.

His friend Dyonisus had treasured Midas because of the way Midas treated Dyonisus.   An exceptional boy was Midas – generous of spirit and kind in heart. Yet a young man with  little to celebrate.

And much to learn.

Much to learn about the value of things.

The kindness of Midas to Dyonisus one night as Dyonisus fell ill was somthing Dyonisus never failed to remember.

And so in later times granted to Midas one wish.  Midas’s strongest wish.

His answer ?

MIDAS:   That everything I touch should turn into gold !

DYONISUS: Gold ?   Gold ?   GOLD ??  Of what value lies in gold? 

 MIDAS:  Its beauty, Dyonisus.  Its  ability to charm, to  turn a head, to unsettle one’s stomach with its preciousness.  Gold carries with it a label of love of all that is treasured…  And now I feel hungry….

DYONISUS:  But the label of love came with the kindness you showed be when I was ill,  you took me into your home, you fed me and watered me in the way my gardener tends to my roses.  That is  kindness.  You sound greedy.  One does not need gold.  You yourself have shown me that.

NARRATOR:   And later, in that rose garden Dyonissus thought, with his head in his hands.

DYONISUS:  He wants gold.  And the power to turn other treasures into it… 

MIDAS:  Mmmmm… Dyonisus, these apples are delicious… 

DYONISUS:   Very well.  You saved me in my hour of discomfort, you tended my way back to good health and of wellbeing.   Midas, I do not like what you have asked for. Gold shimmers and glistens, but the reflection you see in it is yours.   Can you see that?

 MIDAS:   Yes.  And I want to see more of it.  My reflection in the glistening shimmer of gold is exactly what I wish to see.

DYONISUS:  Very well.  Midas, take my hand.  I give you the power you seek.  Everything you touch, from here on, will turn to purest gold. 

NARRATOR:  Dyonisus knelt and his mood changed.

DYONISUS:  May it bring you happiness.  I fear this power will not.  You will be King one day.

MIDAS:  Thank you ! But you speak nonsense !  I value your thoughts and will treasure your concern.  But,  gold !  With gold, you’re indestructible!  Always believe it !

 NARRATOR: Midas picked up his walking stick and as he did so,  there was a puff of purple smoke!  The walking stick from being a length of chopping wood, became a staff of warm and shimmering gold.

MIDAS: You see?  Wonderful…

NARRATOR:  And he walked away from his friend, Dyonisus.  But was soon to learn that gold is really just a colour.  And that wanting all to be gold is another way to say he was greedy…

Gold is valuable, gold is pretty and gold feels and is beautiful.

 But what if everything you touched turned to gold…?

 ——————————

THE MIDAS TOUCH

NARRATOR:  Midas of Ancient Greece was now a man. And a King. And all that he touched had turned to gold, exactly as he had wished, years ago.

He went to visit his old friend King Dyonisus with a question.

MIDAS:  King Dyonisus,  What is precious?DYONISUS:  What is precious, you ask?MIDAS:  Yes. It seems to me a simple question.

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