提要

「心想事成」是我們經常聽到的祝賀詞，每個人都嚮往更美好、更舒適的生活；但一個人能用、能吃的分量有限，過度的欲望就成了貪心，非分之想的「願望」一旦成真時，反而受罪。



這是一個「世界首富」的國王，「願望成真」卻後悔不已的故事。

Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.

Many years ago there lived a king named Midas. He was very rich, he had more gold than any other king in the world. One room of his great castle was filled with yellow gold pieces, but he still wish for more.

One day while he was in the room counting his gold, a fairy stood before him.

"Midas, you are the richest man in the world," said the fairy. "There is no King who has so much gold as you."

"That may be," said the King. "As you see, I have this room full of gold, but I should like much more; for gold is the best and the most wonderful thing in the world."

"Are you sure?" asked the fairy.

"I am very sure," answered the King.

"If I should grant you one wish," said the fairy, "would you ask for more gold?"

"If I could have but one wish," said the King, "I would ask that everything I touch should turn to beautiful yellow gold."

"Your wish shall be granted," said the fairy. "At sunrise tomorrow morning your slightest touch will turn everything into gold. But I warn you that your gift will not make you happy."

"I will take the risk," said the King.

The next day King Midas awoke very early. He was eager to see if the fairy's promise had come true.

As soon as the sun arose he tried the gift by touching the bed lightly with his hand.

The bed turned to gold.

He touched the chair and table.

Upon the instant they were turned to solid gold.

The King was wild with joy.

He ran around the room, touching everything he could see. His magic gift turned all to shining, yellow gold.

The King soon felt hungry and went down to eat his breakfast. Now a strange thing happened. When he raised a glass of clear cold water to drink, it became solid gold.

Not a drop of water could pass his lips.

The bread turned to gold under his fingers, and it was hard, and yellow, and shiny.

Not a thing could he get to eat.All was gold, gold, gold.

His little daughter came running in from the garden.

Of all living creatures she was the dearest to him.

He touched her with his lips.

At once the little girl was changed to a golden statue.

A great fear crept into the King's heart, sweeping all the joy out of his life.

In his grief he called and called upon the fairy who had given him the gift of the golden touch.

"Oh fairy," he begged, "take away this horrible golden gift! Take all my lands. Take all my gold. Take everything, only give me back my little daughter."

In a moment the beautiful fairy was standing before him.

"Do you still think that gold is the greatest thing in the world?" asked the fairy.

"No! no!" "Are you sure that you no longer wish the golden touch?" asked the fairy.

"I have learned my lesson," said the King. "I no longer think gold the greatest thing in the world."

"Very well," said the fairy, "take this pitcher to the spring in the garden and fill it with water. Then sprinkle those things which you have touched and turned to gold."

The King took the pitcher and rushed to the spring. Running back he first sprinkled the head of his dear little girl. Instantly she became his own darling again, and gave him a kiss.

解說

許願要小心，因為你可能真的會得到你想要的！

多年前，有一個非常富有國王密達斯，他擁有的黃金，比世界上任何的國王都多，他的城堡中有個專屬的房間，儲存他愈來愈多的黃金。

某一天，正當他在房裡數黃金時，一個仙女出現在他面前。

「密達斯，你是世界上最富有的人」，仙女說，「沒有哪個國王擁有這麼多的黃金！」

「可能是吧，」國王說，「但雖有這滿屋子的黃金，我還想要更多。」

「你確定嗎？」仙女問，「我非常肯定，」國王回答。

「如果我能給你一個願望，」仙女說，「你會要求更多的黃金？」

「如果我能夠有一個願望，」 國王說，「我會希望把我觸摸到的所有東西，都變成美麗的黃金。」

「你的願望將會實現！」仙女說。 「明天日出時，所有你輕觸的一切，都會變成金子。但是我警告你，你的『禮物』並不會讓你幸福。」

「我願意冒這個險，」密達斯國王說。

第二天，國王密達斯醒得很早，他渴望看到仙女的承諾成真，他試圖用他的手輕輕碰觸床面。

床變成了金子。

他又摸了摸椅子和桌子……瞬間，桌椅也變成堅實的黃金。

國王欣喜若狂。

他在房間裡奔跑，觸摸一切他能看到的，整個屋子變成一片金黃色。

吃早餐時，國王舉杯想喝水，但是連杯帶水都成了純金。

他一滴水也喝不到。

這時他餓了，麵包也一樣，所有的食物都成了黃澄澄的黃金、黃金、黃金。

他心愛的小女兒跑進花園找爸爸玩，當國王像往常一樣親吻愛女時，小女孩瞬間變成了一座金雕像。

國王的心，瞬間沉到谷底，莫可名狀的恐懼席捲所有的歡樂。

他悲傷地呼救：「哦仙女」，他懇求，「拿走這可怕的金色禮物，拿走我的土地；拿走我所有的黃金！只要把我的小女兒還給我。」

美麗的仙女出現在他面前。

「你仍然認為黃金是世界上重要的嗎？」仙女問。

「不，不！」

「你確定不再希望『點石成金』嗎？」仙女再問。

「我已經得到了教訓，」國王說。

「很好，」仙女說，「拿這個壺到花園裝滿水，然後灑在那些被你變成金子的東西上，就可以恢復原狀了。」

國王飛也似的裝滿水跑回來，急忙灑水在金雕像上，他寶貝女兒變回來了，並給了他一個吻。



希臘哲人柏拉圖曾說過：「對一個小孩最殘酷的待遇，就是讓他『心想事成』！」 因為凡事都「不勞而獲」，價值觀會扭曲、應變能力全無，如果想要任何東西，爸爸媽媽都立刻買給你，一不小心就會變成「不勞而獲」無能之人！

「再富也要窮小孩」的觀念正風行。然而，體驗貧窮，可以改變你的人生，現在許多學校都鼓勵學生當義工、體驗「饑餓三十」，就是這個道理。