The Prussian king was shocked.  “How did you know that I am a king?” he asked.

“I can tell from the way you speak!” replied the shepherd.

Upon this, the Prussian king came right out and said to the shepherd, “I’ll give you lots of money, six horses, and even a beautiful carriage if you’ll only give me the lamb with the golden fleece.”

“Oh, no!” replied the shepherd.  “I’ll do no such thing.  I wouldn’t even give it to you for the whole world.  King Matthias would surely have me hanged if I were to do so!”

The Prussian king promised the shepherd even more money, but the young man still refused.

Feeling sad, the Prussian king returned to the inn.  It so happened that his daughter was also there with him.  “Don’t be sad, my royal father,” said she, while trying to console him.  “I’ll go to the shepherd myself with a bucket of pure gold.  You’ll see that I’ll be able to trick him into giving me that lamb.”

So she took a bucket of pure gold and a bottle of wine, and went to see the shepherd.  She tried to trick him into giving her the lamb using words of honey, but the shepherd refused. 

He told her he had no need of money.  Moreover, if he gave away the lamb with the golden fleece, King Matthias would have him hanged.

But the king’s daughter would not give up.  She talked and talked.  Meanwhile they also drank the bottle of wine.  True, the girl had to drink first, for the shepherd wanted to be sure that the wine had not been poisoned. 

It wasn’t, and in the end he got into such a good mood that he declared that he would even be willing to give her the lamb if she would marry him right then and there.  He would never do so for money, however.

At first the girl was reluctant, but finally she agreed.  She told the shepherd, “Skin the lamb and eat from it!  I myself don’t really want any meat, I only want the lamb’s hide.”