Kindergarden - Kings and Queens

Kings and Queens: Supplemental Guide 2A | King Midas and the Golden Touch 55

Presenting the Read-Aloud 10 minutes

King Midas and the Golden Touch

 Show image 3A-1: King Midas and Marygold looking at the sunset

Once upon a time, there lived a very rich king whose name was

Midas.

[Ask students: “What do you think people in his kingdom called him?”]

• King Midas)
  King Midas lived long ago. Although he lived a long time ago—he lived
  in the past —he was very much like some people today: he was fond of
  gold. He loved gold more than anything in the world. When he gazed
  at the gold-colored clouds of a beautiful sunset, he would wish that the
  clouds were real gold.
  [Define gaze as to look or stare at something for a long time in a dreamy way.
  Demonstrate gazing.]
  If King Midas loved anything as much or more than he loved gold, it
  was his little daughter, who was named Marygold.

[Invite a student to point to Marygold in the picture. Ask students: “Why do

you think King Midas named his daughter Marygold?” Call on two students to

answer.]

When Marygold would run to meet him with a bunch of buttercups,

[Show students a picture or real examples of buttercups.]

King Midas would say, “Dear child, if these flowers were as golden as

they look, then they would be worth picking.”

[Explain that King Midas wishes the buttercups were made of real gold. He is

not interested in the buttercups; he is interested in gold.]

 Show image 3A-2: King Midas

Every day, King Midas spent many hours locked away in a dark room

in the basement of the palace. In this room he stored his treasures.

[Define treasures as things that are worth a lot of money. Invite a student to

point to King Midas’ treasures.]

He would go inside the room and carefully lock the door behind him.

Then he would take out bags of gold coins, pour the coins in piles,

and run his hands through them.