diff -r a8047d1376d5 Lib/random.py
--- a/Lib/random.py	Fri Mar 08 23:27:24 2013 +0000
+++ b/Lib/random.py	Sat Mar 09 00:55:32 2013 -0800
@@ -300,7 +300,8 @@
         randbelow = self._randbelow
         n = len(population)
         if not 0 <= k <= n:
-            raise ValueError("Sample larger than population")
+            raise ValueError(
+                "Invalid sample size {} for population size {}".format(k, n))
         result = [None] * k
         setsize = 21        # size of a small set minus size of an empty list
         if k > 5: