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Midas, son of the Great goddess of Ida, by a hero whose name is not remembered, was a pleasure loving king of Macedonian Bromium, where he ruled over the Brigians and planted his famous rose gardens.

One day, the old hero Silenus, Dionysus' former teacher, happened to straggle from the main body of the Dionysian army as it marched out of Thrace into Boeotia, and was found sleeping and drunken in the rose gardens.

Midas, delighted with Silenus' fictions, entertained him for five days and nights, and then ordered a guide to lead him to Dionysus' headquarters.

The gardeners tied him and led him before Midas, to whom he told wonderful tales of a big continent lying beyond the ocean's stream -- altogether separate from the united mass of Europe, Asia, or Africa -- where gigantic, happy, and long lived people lived in splendid cities, enjoying a wonderful law system.

He replied without hesitation: "Please turn all i touch into gold."

Dionysus, who had been worrying about Silenus, sent to ask how Midas wished to be rewarded.

Midas soon begged to be freed from his wish, because he was fast dying of hunger and thirst.

However, not only stones, flowers, and the furnishings of his house turned to gold but, when he sat down to table, so did the food he ate and the water he drank.

Highly amused, Dionysus told him to visit the source of the river Pactolus and there wash himself. he obeyed, and was at once freed from the golden touch, but the sands of the river Pactolusare bright with gold to this day.