Daffydowndilly and the Golden Touch

In Short

These two stories follow young protagonists who believe they can escape the ordinary demands of life. King Midas seeks to bypass the necessity of earning a living by wishing for unlimited wealth, while a schoolboy named Daffydowndilly attempts to run away from his lessons. Through their respective trials, both discover that their desires are either self-destructive or impossible to realize. These stories have remained in print because they distill complex ethical questions about labor, desire, and contentment into clear, unforgettable narratives that remain accessible to young students.

The Story

King Midas is a wealthy man who loves his gold more than anything except his daughter, Marygold. His obsession leads him to wish that everything he touches turns to gold. A mysterious stranger grants his request, and by the next morning, Midas is delighted to find his bed, clothes, and breakfast transformed into the precious metal. His joy is short-lived, however, as he soon discovers he cannot eat, drink, or enjoy the roses in his garden. When he accidentally turns his own daughter into a gold statue, his heartbreak is total. He realizes the emptiness of his greed and desperately begs the stranger for a reversal. Directed to wash the gold with water from a nearby river, Midas restores his life, his breakfast, and—most importantly—his daughter, learning to value human connection over material wealth.

The second story follows Daffydowndilly, a cheerful boy with golden hair who dislikes the discipline of school. He finds his teacher, Mr. Toil, stern and intimidating, so he runs away, hoping to find a place where he can play forever. Along the road, he encounters a mysterious companion who agrees to travel with him. Wherever they go, whether watching farmers in a field, carpenters building a house, or soldiers on parade, Daffydowndilly is haunted by the presence of a man who looks and sounds exactly like his schoolmaster. He discovers that these are all brothers of Mr. Toil, representing different forms of labor. Even when he tries to find rest among idlers, he finds a version of Mr. Toil there as well. Exhausted and disillusioned, Daffydowndilly realizes that work is an inescapable part of the world. He returns to the schoolhouse with his companion—who is revealed to be Mr. Toil himself—and eventually learns that, when lessons are mastered, his teacher is a kind mentor.

How It Unfolds

The king’s obsession Midas spends his days counting his coins and wishing for more, convinced that wealth is the path to true happiness. A mysterious visitor appears and challenges his contentment, leading Midas to foolishly request the Golden Touch.

The transformation begins The king wakes to find his surroundings turning into cold, hard metal, initially celebrating his newfound power. The reality of his curse sets in quickly when his breakfast and his beloved daughter are rendered lifeless and immobile.

A desperate reversal After a tearful, failed attempt to pray, Midas encounters the stranger once more and learns how to break the spell. He restores his world to life, ultimately choosing the warmth of his daughter over the glitter of his hoard.

The flight from duty Daffydowndilly runs away from school to escape the strict demands of Mr. Toil. He travels through the countryside, hoping to encounter only leisure and play.

The inescapable truth The boy repeatedly spots his schoolmaster’s face in every person he meets, from farmers to fiddlers. Each encounter teaches him that every pursuit in life involves effort, and there is no place where work does not exist.

A new perspective Upon returning to the classroom, the boy stops viewing his teacher as an adversary. He discovers that diligence brings its own rewards and finds warmth in the schoolmaster’s approval.

The People

King Midas is defined by a singular, consuming greed. He is a man who mistakes the ownership of objects for the experience of living. Through his suffering, he sheds his vanity and learns that his daughter is his only true treasure.

Marygold is the innocent heart of the first story. Her presence represents the simple, human joys—the smell of a rose, the pleasure of a meal—that Midas nearly destroys with his desire for gold.

Daffydowndilly is a boy who represents the natural, youthful desire for play. He is not malicious, but he is naive, believing that a life without structure is a life of pure joy. His journey is one of maturation as he comes to accept responsibility.

Mr. Toil is the rigid, stern schoolmaster who embodies the necessity of work. While he is initially a figure of terror for the young protagonist, he proves to be a necessary guide. He is not a villain, but a reflection of the reality that discipline is a fundamental part of a productive, happy life.

In Its Own Voice

Regarding the king's initial, misguided desire for wealth, the text notes the futility of his focus:

“He thought, foolish man, that the way to show this love, was to get for her as much gold as he could.”

When the boy attempts to escape his responsibilities, he finds that his flight is actually a return to the very place he feared:

“You see they had been going in a circle, instead of a straight line.”

Regarding the true nature of his teacher after he finally applies himself to his studies, the boy learns a softer truth:

“And when he learned his lessons well, the old schoolmaster’s smile was almost as pleasant as was that of his own mother.”

What It's Really About

These stories examine the conflict between the desire for ease and the reality of the human condition. The central argument is that happiness is not found in the acquisition of static objects or the avoidance of duty, but in the engagement with the world around us. Midas learns that gold is isolating, while Daffydowndilly learns that work is universal. Both stories posit that the things we dread—be it the effort of learning or the loss of our fantasies—are actually the foundations of a meaningful life. The stories argue for a balanced perspective, where labor is respected and personal relationships are held above material status.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy vintage children's literature will find these tales charming for their directness and their commitment to a clear moral arc. The prose is clean and unadorned, characteristic of early 20th-century educational texts. It feels earnest and perhaps a bit old-fashioned in its rigid view of "toil," yet the core lessons remain surprisingly relevant for anyone feeling the pull between professional obligations and the desire for total leisure.

One should be aware that the collection reflects the period of its publication, particularly in the lists of books included in the front matter, which feature dated attitudes and naming conventions common to educational materials of the early 1920s. However, the stories themselves are timeless fables, stripped of subtext and delivered with a focus on character growth that is often lost in modern, more ironic storytelling. The brevity of the stories makes them perfect for a quick, reflective read. They leave the reader with a quiet, lingering reminder that the "golden touch" is often a curse, and that the work we try so hard to avoid is frequently the very thing that connects us to the people and world we love.