From
Heribert Prantl
As is well known, Midas, the king of Phrygia, wanted to turn everything into gold and almost perished because of it. According to the legend, he wished that Dionysus would turn everything he touched into gold. On the way home, when Midas touched a twig, picked up a stone, plucked ears of corn, twig, stone and ears of corn became pure gold. The same happened with the bread when he sat down at the set table. The drinks and the water mixed with wine that he poured down his throat also turned to gold. Midas was in danger of dying of hunger and thirst, so he finally asked Dionysus to rid him of this fateful gift. The god freed Midas by bathing in a spring that has been carrying gold sand ever since.