A king announced that he would give half his kingdom to anyone who could tell a lie that he admitted was a lie. A shepherd and tailor both tried but failed, telling stories the king did not fully accept as lies. Finally, a peasant came and claimed the king owed him a bag of gold. When the king denied owing him anything, the peasant insisted it was a lie and demanded half the kingdom instead, outwitting the king into admitting his initial claim was a lie.