Opposite of Midas touch?

[Tanemon]

In my spare time, I'm writing some short stories. They're set in modern times and in 'the real world' of nature, worklife, friendships, lovelife, adventures, quandries, etc. I want to bring in the occasional reference to our heritage of folk wisdom, legend, mythology and such.

We all, probably, know the legend or folktale of King Midas and his ability to turn things into gold with his touch. Does anyone know of a folktale of someone whose touch, unfortunately, turned things to mud, cracked pottery, or something on the other end of the scale?

Also, I think we all have heard the story of the boy who alarmed or warned his village by 'crying wolf!', with the boy then losing his credibility - but is there a corresponding tale of someone who announces gold (or "money tree" etc) or some other presence of beauty, ease, wealth, only for the people to find the announcement was baseless? (Maybe the correspondence is indicated in the expression "pie in the sky" - but is that the only one? is there a better one?)

Thanks to anyone who helps me with these. :smile:

[Tristran]

Not a myth, but there was a episode of 'Spitting Image', UK tv, that showed how Rupert Murdock is the opposite of King Midas.

Everything he touched turned to brown smelly slime that we all know by another name.

The 'pigs' that work with him and on the trashy newspapers walked around smelling something horrible, but could not believe that it originated from their 'king'.

Then a few months later, the real British elite got 'Spitting Image' banned and taken off the air.

Obviously, the truth always hurts the weak.

[Howla Dark]

In my spare time, I'm writing some short stories. They're set in modern times and in 'the real world' of nature, worklife, friendships, lovelife, adventures, quandries, etc. I want to bring in the occasional reference to our heritage of folk wisdom, legend, mythology and such.

We all, probably, know the legend or folktale of King Midas and his ability to turn things into gold with his touch. Does anyone know of a folktale of someone whose touch, unfortunately, turned things to mud, cracked pottery, or something on the other end of the scale?

Also, I think we all have heard the story of the boy who alarmed or warned his village by 'crying wolf!', with the boy then losing his credibility - but is there a corresponding tale of someone who announces gold (or "money tree" etc) or some other presence of beauty, ease, wealth, only for the people to find the announcement was baseless? (Maybe the correspondence is indicated in the expression "pie in the sky" - but is that the only one? is there a better one?)

Thanks to anyone who helps me with these. :smile:

Opposite of Midas Touch? I've seen things on TV about everyone and everything a man touches dies. And the Skittles ad with everything a man touches turns to Skittles.
You could have everything someone touches turns to stone, glass, mud...

[Tanemon]

Thanks to both of you.

You could have everything someone touches turns to stone, glass, mud...
Yes. Well, I'm looking for a reference to legend or myth... something centuries old that, ideally, may be known to readers.

When we use a term like "Midas touch" it's a kind of short-hand for that sort of person or situation. It's the short-hand (the reference) that I'd like to find. When we say, "well, he cried wolf, now no one pays any attention to him" people know what we mean.

[WhiteWolfy]

Medusa could turn people to stone if they looked at her but that's the only one i could think of.

The boy who cried wolf - Don't lie or Be honest (The longer version is - A liar will not be believed, even when telling the truth).

Just some thoughts :smile: