The North Wind and the Sun

Once upon a time, North Wind and Sun were having an argument about which one was the stronger.
The North Wind boasted of great strength. The Sun argued that there was great power in gentleness.
"We shall have a contest," said the Sun.

Just at that time, a person wearing a long coat came by.
The two agreed that whichever one was able to make the person take off his coat first was the strongest.
The North Wind first tried his power and blew with all his might, but the keener his blasts, the closer the Traveler wrapped his cloak around him, until at last, resigning all hope of victory, the Wind called upon the Sun to see what he could do.

Then, the Sun came out from behind a cloud. Sun warmed the air and the frosty ground. The man on the road unbuttoned his coat.

The sun grew slowly brighter and brighter.
The Traveler no sooner felt his genial rays than he took off one garment after another, and at last, fairly overcome with heat, undressed and bathed in a stream that lay in his path.


Moral: Persuasion is better than Force.

King Midas and Golden Touch

Once upon a time there was a king name Midas who was a foolish and greedy man. He wanted to be the richest man in the world. All he care about was gold and gold and gold…

He sent his tax collector into the kingdom to do his gold gathering for him. As he grew richer and richer his people grew poorer and poorer.

One day an old satyr came to King Midas' palace. Midas recognised him as Silenus, a friend of the god Dionysus.

Instead of sending Silenus away King Midas invited him to stay and enjoy his hospitality.

The god Dionysus was pleased Midas had helped his friend and offered to grant Midas a wish.

King Midas wished that everything he touched would turn to gold. Then he would be the richest man in the world.

Although Dionysus tried to dissuade him, Midas insisted that the wish was an excellent one, and it was granted!

The god kept his promise and sure enough, everything Midas touched turned to gold. Excitedly, Midas went about touching all sorts of things, turning them into gold. He went round his palace using his new power.

Soon Midas became hungry. He picked up a piece of food, but he couldn't eat it. "I'll starve. All food and wine turned to gold when I touched it!, I couldn't eat or drink." moaned Midas.

And when Midas' beloved daughter, seeing his dismay, threw her arms about him to comfort him, and, she too turned to gold! "The golden touch is no blessing, perhaps this was not such a good wish after all!"

Midas begged Dionysus to remove the spell. Dionysus told Midas how he could get rid of the gift.

Midas went to the river Pactolus and washed washed his 'golden touch' away The sand of that river turned as yellow as "fool's gold" for it is there, they say, that King Midas washed away the curse of the golden touch with his own tears