Once upon a time, King Matthias was entertaining the Burkus king, who happened to be his good friend, in the Hungarian court.
"There is a rumor that you have a lamb with a golden coat," the visitor stated at one point.
"The rumor is true, I do. It is tended by a shepherd who is also quite unusual; he is a completely honest man. He has never lied."
"Is that so? Well, perhaps I can change that. I will make him tell a lie."
"I highly doubt that, my friend," replied King Matthias.
The two quickly made a bet. King Matthias wagered half his kingdom on the honesty of the shepherd, and the burkus king wagered his half that he could make him lie.
The Burkus king dressed as a peasant and went to find the shepherd. However, when the king found the shepherd, the latter greeted knew him as a king at once, and greeted him as such. The king was very surprised. "How did you know that I am a king?" he asked.
"The way you speak gives you away," the shepherd answered.
"Well, since you know that I'm a king, you also know that I have great wealth to spare for what I want. I understand you guard a lamb with a golden coat. I will buy him from you, and you will be a wealthy man for the rest of your life and never have to work anymore."
"I do apologize, sir, but the lamb belongs to King Matthias, not me. He would execute me if I was to sell it. So, I cannot give him away for any amount of gold."
The Burkus king tried to convince the shepherd, offering him large amounts of money, but the shepherd didn't relent. The king finally went away. He was very annoyed, and his daughter noticed it when he returned home. She asked her father if he would not let her try to convince the shepherd in her own way. He agreed, so she took a bottle of the best wine they had and took it to the shepherd.
The shepherd accepted the wine, but refused all her attempts to convince him to sell the lamb. During their conversation, the shepherd drank the wine, and grew comfortable. When the princess offered herself in marriage to the shepherd if he sold her father the lamb, she agreed. She ordered the shepherd to slaughter the lamb and skin it; he did so, and she took the coat to her father.
The next day, the shepherd was devestated. He realized what he had done, and didn't know how he would explain this to King Matthias. He came up with one excuse after another in his mind, lies upon lies, but he realized it would be futile. Finally, he arrived at the throne room of the palace and entered.
"What news have you, friend shepherd?" King Matthias asked.
"I am grieved to report, Your Majesty, that I have made quite an error in my judgment, and I stand ready for your judgment. I have traded the lamb with the golden fur, the one you put me in special charge of, for a black lamb," the shepherd replied.
King Matthias nodded. "Bring me the black sheep, then," he said.
The shepherd pointed at the Burkus princess, who was sitting next to her father, the visiting king.
"It is so!" King Matthias laughed and laughed. "Your honesty has won you half a kingdom. The Burkus king offered half his kingdom in his wager; I give it to you now."
And so the shepherd was rewarded for his honesty by marrying the princess and becoming the ruler of a kindgom of his own.
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