A king has a beautiful daughter, and when it's time for her to choose a husband, he invites neighboring princes to court her. One prince, disguised as a shepherd, decides to visit her first. On his journey, he encounters four beggars and generously gives away all his bread. In gratitude, the beggars bestow upon him four magical gifts: a whip that can kill with a light touch, a wallet that never empties, a shepherd's ax that keeps sheep from straying, and a pipe that makes sheep dance. The prince, now named Yan, arrives at the kingdom and is hired as a shepherd. He uses his gifts to tend to his flock and discovers a castle with giants. He defeats two giants using his whip and finds treasures, including beautiful flowers, which he makes into a nosegay for the princess. When she requests the nosegay, Yan insists she must say "please." The princess complies, and this exchange becomes a daily ritual, with Yan gathering nosegays and the princess always asking politely. As the day for the princes to meet the princess approaches, Yan dresses in fine clothes and rides to the palace, where he wins her favor. However, he escapes before anyone can confront him. This pattern continues for two more meetings, with Yan disguising himself each time and the princess recognizing him but unable to prove his identity. During the third meeting, Yan is wounded while trying to escape. The princess, determined to find him, discovers him asleep with her kerchief wrapped around his foot. Realizing he is the prince, she insists he reveal his true identity. Yan, always compliant when she asks politely, tells her the truth. The princess brings him to her father, declaring him the man she wishes to marry. They marry and live happily, with the princess maintaining her habit of saying "please" to her husband, earning her the admiration of the kingdom.
By Parker Fillmore · First published 1940 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Children's Literature, Fantasy