Then to all the other slaves he called:--

"Get below, every one of you! Crawl into your dingy shafts and dig the gold! Begone, I say! You must obey the master of the ring!"

As soon as the black swarm had crept away, Alberich spoke angrily to Wotan and Loki. "What do you want in here?"

"We just came to see you," said Wotan. "We hoped you might be glad to have us. We think you must be a very clever man. We have heard a great deal about the wonderful things you can do."

This pleased Alberich. He grew very proud and began to boast.

"See all this gold of mine!" he said.

"Yes," answered Loki; "it is the most gold I have ever seen, but what use is it? It does no one any good in here where nothing useful can be bought with it."

"I am heaping it up," said Alberich. "Some day, with this same treasure, heaped and hid, I hope to work some wonders. You shall see! I shall be master of the whole wide world! Ha! the smoke of Alberich's kingdom shall smudge even your flowery mountain-sides and your sparkling rivers.

Everybody shall be my slave! Beware of this black Nibelung, I say, for he shall rule the world!"

THE WISHING-CAP

Loki was very sly and cunning. While Alberich boasted, he was planning how he might trick the dwarf and take his gold.

To Alberich he said: "Surely, you will be the mightiest of men. But suppose that while you sleep, one of your slaves should creep upon you and steal your ring?"

Alberich smiled. "There is no danger of that," he said. "I will show you a trick or two. Do you see this helmet? It is a magic helmet. With it I can make myself so no one can see me, or I can change myself, quick as a flash, into anything I wish to be. So, you see, I am perfectly safe."

"I never heard of such wonders," answered Loki. "I really cannot believe it."

"I shall prove it to you," said the dwarf, never dreaming that the sly Loki was only laying a trap for him. "What form will you have me take?"

"Turn into anything you wish. Only let me see it done and then I shall believe."

Alberich put on the helmet. "Ho! Monster Dragon, come!" And quick as a flash he turned into a huge dragon.

Loki pretended to be frightened. As the fierce monster squirmed toward him, he made believe that he was going to rush from the cave.

THE TRICK

The dragon vanished and there stood Alberich again.

"Now do you believe?" he asked.

"Indeed, I do," replied Loki. "It is wonderful. But if you could shrink to some tiny thing, it would be even much more clever, because you could creep into a crevice and spy upon your enemies. But, of course, getting small would be too hard a thing to do."

"Only tell me what you would have me be," said Alberich.

"Now I shall catch him," thought Loki. "Could you make yourself as little as a toad that quickly slinks under the rock when there is danger near?"

"Ha! Nothing easier," laughed Alberich.

And again putting the helmet on his head he coaxed:--

"Come, little toad! Creep from your cranny!" Alberich was gone, and there at Wotan's feet hopped the tiny toad.

"Quick, Wotan!" cried Loki.

And in an instant Wotan put his heavy foot upon the toad.

Loki reached down and took the magic wishing-cap.

As soon as the cap was off, the toad disappeared, and there lay Alberich, held fast by Wotan's giant foot.

"Let me go!" shrieked the dwarf. "Take your foot off of me, this minute!"

Wotan calmly answered: "You may go when you have promised all I ask."

"Then what do you want?" groaned Alberich.

"I want all your glittering gold," said Wotan.

THE CURSE

Alberich held the ring close under his breast and muttered to himself: "They may have the gold! What do I care! With this ring I can soon make my slaves dig more."

Then aloud he said: "You may take the gold. My slaves shall heap it at your feet."

He slyly slipped his hand to his lips and, kissing the ring, called his slaves with its magic.

In a moment the little black Nibelungs came in swarms from every shaft, bearing the precious gold.

Alberich did not like to have them see him under Wotan's foot.

"Heap up the treasure!" he yelled. "Don't stop to stare at me. I am still your master. Now, crawl back into your shafts and drudge. I am coming in a minute, and it will not be well for you if I do not find you digging!"

Trembling with fear, they scurried to the darkest depths.

"Now, there is your gold!" said Alberich. "Give back my helmet and let me go!"

But Loki quickly tossed the helmet upon the shining heap.

"Take it, then," snarled the dwarf, thinking he could easily, with the power of the ring, force Mimi to make another, "but let me go, I say!"

"Just wait a minute, Alberich," said Wotan. "That ring I saw glittering on your finger,--I must have that too."

"The ring!" Alberich screamed in horror. "No, you shall never have the ring!"

Wotan's face grew stern.