so one day, not long before the fifteenth birthday of the youngest princess, the king and the queen were out driving, and the princesses were standing at the window and looking out. the sun was shining, and everything looked so green and beautiful that they felt that they must go out, happen what might. so they begged and entreated and urged the sentinel, all three of them, that he should let them down into the garden. "he could see for himself how warm and pleasant it was; no snowy weather could come on such a day." well, he didn't think it looked much like it either, and if they must go they had better go, the soldier said; but it must only be for a minute, and he himself would go with them and look after them.