5 minutes; Season 1, Episode 98; dir. Jack Kinney
In this fun but weird riff on the story of Midas, Popeye tells a “phairie story” to Swee’Pea, explaining why he should not want everything to turn to pennies. In the story, Popeye is a good but poor king who strives to make his people happy by giving them all that they want. Popeye wishes on a star that he could turn everything he touches to gold for the sake of his people. In doing so, he summons the small, magical bear-like animal Eugene the Jeep, who grants his wish but warns him beforehand that it will not make him happy. After turning Olive Oyl and his spinach to gold, Popeye decides he wants to be rid of the golden touch. He goes to find the Jeep, which has been imprisoned by the Sea Hag. He threatens to turn her to gold if she doesn’t release the Jeep. They fight and he consumes the golden spinach in order to defeat her. He realizes that his people don’t need gold to be happy; they just need their king with a heart of gold. After finishing the story, Popeye asks Swee’Pea if he still wants everything to turn to pennies, and the child replies, “No, I want it to turn to nickels!”
Animated Antiquity 
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