Midas

Midas, a common name of the ancient Phrygian kings, most famous of whom is Midas, son of Gordius and Cybele, and pupil of Orpheus. For his kindness to Silenus he was promised by Dionysus whatever he should ask, and in his folly he asked that everything he touched should become gold; but, as the very food he touched was at once changed into gold, he was soon fain to implore the god to take back his fatal gift. He was told to bathe in the sources of the Pactolus, and from that day to this its sands have yielded grains of gold. Once, when Apollo and Pan were engaged in a musical competition on the lyre and the flute, Midas was called in to decide between them. He gave the palm to Pan, whereupon Apollo changed his ears to those of an ass. He concealed the deformity under his Phrygian cap, but could not hide it from his barber, who felt so heavy the burden of a secret he dared not reveal that he dug a hole in the ground and whispered into it, 'King Midas has ass's ears.' He then filled up the hole, and his heart was lightened; but out of the ground sprung a reed which ever whispered the shameful secret to the breeze.