I can completely understand turning down a rapping sword. Even if it was a good sword, rap would make me depressed all the time. Don't want something that'll prevent me from being happy.
I can also understand turning down a marriage to a complete stranger. Been there, did that (the turning down part, not the marrying part). I get it, it's a practical arrangement that says you'll be part of the royal court. But, if you don't even know the royal court, or care about them? That's not much of a reward. If she doesn't have any older brothers, you even get to be the husband of a Queen Regnant after a while. Which is not the same as being King.
Unless it's one of those backward principalities where having a penis is enough to make up for not having been brought up royal and knowing what the hell you're doing. If that's the case, you get to be the King, and either you take your wife's advice on everything or you watch yourself destroy a nation despite your best efforts, which is no fun at all.
I probably wouldn't have asked for sand, though.