By Vera Morris

Here is a faithful adaptation of the popular myth, which teaches us that money and wealth aren’t everything.  King Midas is a powerful ruler who can think only of gold.  His lovely daughter, Princess Penelope, is having a birthday, and noble guests come from far and wide, including the handsome Prince Ajax, who loves Penelope.  Three mystical sisters present the princess with the gift of one wish, which Penelope lovingly gives to her father.  He uses his wish to receive ’The Golden Touch.’ At first he’s ecstatic, but slowly it dawns on him that even a king cannot eat gold food or drink gold water.  When he mistakenly touches Penelope, she, too, turns to gold!  A rich moral and laughter abound as Midas painfully learns his lesson and is punished for his greed.