78 THE GOLDEN TOUCH.

a golden tinge, which he had never observed in it before
she had been transmuted -by the effect of his kiss. - This
change of hue. was really an improvement, and made
Marygold’s hair richer than in her babyhood.

When King Midas had grown quite an old man, and
used to trot Marygold’s children on his knee, he was
fond of telling them this marvellous story, pretty much as
I have now told it to you. And then would he stroke
their glossy ringlets, and tell them that their hair, like-
wise, had a rich shade of gold, which they had inherited
from their mother.

“And, to tell you the truth, my precious little folks,”
quoth King Midas, diligently trotting the children all the
while, “ever since that morning, I have hated the very
sight of all other gold, save this!”