2025-12-26
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Hello, I'm Tim.
Today, I'm going to tell you a story from Greek mythology about tragedy caused by greed.
It shows us what happens when true happiness is not recognised.
This is the famous story of King Midas.
We start the story with Dionysus, the god of wine, someone who likes to let himself go a bit.
One day, he and his friends are at the foot of Mount Timulus, enjoying themselves.
Suddenly, they realise that Silenus isn't with them.
Silenus is a strange type of creature, half man, half goat,
and he's a special friend of Dionysus as he was once his tutor.
The friends look for him, but it's touch and go as to whether they will ever find him.
Earlier that day, Silenus had fallen off his donkey because he had had a touch too much to drink,
and now he's laying asleep by the side of the road, snoring.
He's woken when a king, King Midas, and his soldiers come riding by.
Midas has a special longing to see Dionysus,
and Silenus agrees to take him to see the god in exchange for the loan of a horse.
So now Dionysus is touched that Midas has brought Silenus safely home.