Name : Madinah Salsabillah Wahid (18)

Class : 11 Science 5

King Midas

Once upon a time, there was a rich king who was never happy. His name was Midas.
Even though King Midas was already rich, he dreamed to be richest king in the world. King
Midas loved sitting on his golden throne and contemplating ways to become richer. One day,
one of his servants came to him with an old man. He said the old man had been found
wandering around in the orchard. It was Silenus, the friend of the god Bacchus. Suddenly, King
Midas had an idea. He welcomed the old man and let him be his guest for ten days. He served
Silenus well.
After ten days, King Midas took Silenus back to Bacchus. The god was very happy to see
his lost friend. He then said to King Midas that he would grant him any wish he made. King
Midas had been waiting for the offer. This was his chance to become the richest king in the
world. Without hesitating, he asked so that everything he touched would turn into gold. The
god Bacchus granted his wish.
Upon returning to his palace. King Midas tested his new power. He picked up a stone.
Soon it turned into gold. A servant brought King Midas a bowl of water so that he could wash
his hands. As soon as he put his hands into the bowl, the water turned to gold. Next, King Midas
took a piece of bread. Before he could get it to his mouth, it too had turned to gold. He could
not eat any food because it would turn to gold.
Dejected, King Midas went for walk in his garden. His children ran up to him and he held
them in his arms. They immediately turned into gold statues. King Midas cried in sadness seeing
what he had done.
Hurriedly, King Midas came to see the god Bacchus and pleaded him to take his power
away. Bacchus refused and asked the king to keep the gift. Then King Midas knelt and begged
for Bacchus to forgive him. “It was wrong to be greedy and to love gold so much,” said the
grieving king.
Bacchus felt sorry for King Midas and told him the way to cure him of the curse. He told
King Midas to go to Pactolus River and wash in its water. The king did so right away. On the way
back to his palace, King Midas touched everything around him. When they did not turn into
gold, he was so relieved. However, his children were still golden statues in the garden.
Seeing that, he quickly grabbed a bucket, ran to Pactolus River and scooped up some
water. He went back to the garden with the bucket of water and poured it over his golden
children. They instantly came alive. King Midas then called his servants, “Get rid of all the
golden things in the palace. I no longer wanted to see anything golden.” Now he enjoyed being
able to eat and drink again.
King Midas had found that all the gold in the world did not bring happiness. He no
longer dreamed of becoming the richest king in the world.

1. Generic Structure
Orientation
Once upon a time, there was a rich king who was never happy. His name was Midas.
Complication 1
Even though King Midas was already rich, he dreamed to be richest king in the world.
King Midas loved sitting on his golden throne and contemplating ways to become richer.
Complication 2
One day, one of his servants came to him with an old man. He said the old man had
been found wandering around in the orchard. It was Silenus, the friend of the god Bacchus.
Resolution 1
Suddenly, King Midas had an idea. He welcomed the old man and let him be his guest for
ten days. He served Silenus well.
After ten days, King Midas took Silenus back to Bacchus. The god was very happy to see
his lost friend. He then said to King Midas that he would grant him any wish he made.
King Midas had been waiting for the offer. This was his chance to become the richest king
in the world. Without hesitating, he asked so that everything he touched would turn into
gold. The god Bacchus granted his wish.
Complication 3
Upon returning to his palace. King Midas tested his new power. He picked up a stone.
Soon it turned into gold. A servant brought King Midas a bowl of water so that he could
wash his hands. As soon as he put his hands into the bowl, the water turned to gold. Next,
King Midas took a piece of bread. Before he could get it to his mouth, it too had turned to
gold. He could not eat any food because it would turn to gold.
Dejected, King Midas went for walk in his garden. His children ran up to him and he held
them in his arms. They immediately turned into gold statues. King Midas cried in sadness
seeing what he had done.
Complication 4
Hurriedly, King Midas came to see the god Bacchus and pleaded him to take his power
away. Bacchus refused and asked the king to keep the gift. Then King Midas knelt and
begged for Bacchus to forgive him. “It was wrong to be greedy and to love gold so much,”
said the grieving king.
Bacchus felt sorry for King Midas and told him the way to cure him of the curse. He told
King Midas to go to Pactolus River and wash in its water. The king did so right away.
On the way back to his palace, King Midas touched everything around him. When they did
not turn into gold, he was so relieved. However, his children were still golden statues in the
garden.
Resolution 2
Seeing that, he quickly grabbed a bucket, ran to Pactolus River and scooped up some
water. He went back to the garden with the bucket of water and poured it over his golden
children. They instantly came alive.
King Midas then called his servants, “Get rid of all the golden things in the palace. I no
longer wanted to see anything golden.” Now he enjoyed being able to eat and drink again
Coda
 King Midas had found that all the gold in the world did not bring happiness. He no
longer dreamed of becoming the richest king in the world.

2. The Genre
The genre of that narrative text is tragedy.

3. The Variation
The variation of that narrative text is legends.

b. Specifically in one sentence, mention the moral value of the story

= We should never be greedy in life and appreciate what we already have, no matter
how large or small.

c. Specifically, describe the main and supporting characters in the story.

1) King Midas = King Midas was a wealthy king who loved gold and believed that wealth
should only lie in the hands of kings. He did a greedy wish, and his greedy wish got him
into a lot of trouble. So he does seem to suggest that greed is bad. But he also escapes
his doom pretty easily.
2) Bacchus = He knew that Midas has made a bad choice, but he grants the wish
anyway. Because Bacchus promised to grant any wish he never said that it had to be a
smart wish. Or maybe Bacchus wants Midas to experience the consequences of his
decision. After all, one of the story's major themes is that greed has consequences.
3) Silenus = Bacchus’s friend and Midas’s guest.