King Midas and the Golden Touch

Silenus was the oldest and merriest follower of Bacchus, the Wine God. One fine day he wandered off from Bacchus's band of revelers into a land called Phrygia, where roses grow. Drunk on wine and roses, the old man fell asleep near the palace of King Midas. The country folk found him snoring away behind a rose bush. As a joke, they crowned him with a wreath of roses and led him to Midas's court. The King of Phrygia was a well-meaning...