Usually if we say someone has the Midas touch, we mean he or she is very successful with money. The saying comes from the story of a mythical king who was so greedy for riches that he wished for everything he touched to be turned into gold. The wish was granted, with the result that he was unable to eat or drink anything – all his meals turned into beautiful gold ornaments – and eventually turned his own daughter into a gold statue when she tried to kiss him. Midas eventually managed to get the enchantment lifted, but as a punishment for his folly he was sentenced to wear asses' ears on his head for the rest of his life. He tried to hide this under his headgear, but his barber saw them. Afraid to gossip about the king, but bursting to tell somebody, he eventually confided in a group of reeds by the riverside. The reeds then let the story of Midas' ears be whispered on the wind, so that all the world found out and laughed at him.
