"Hey! Who are these?" he cried. "Nibelungs, be off to your digging; and mind ye bring me treasure worth having." Lashing them soundly, and raising his magic ring to his lips, the Nibelungen shrunk away in affright and disappeared into the clefts of the rock. "Ah, ye are a precious possession," he said to the ring. "Whoever fails to obey thy Lord, feels thy power." The little black villain looked gloatingly upon it; then turning to Wotan and Loge he asked: "What are ye doing in my domain?" "We have heard of thy power, great sir, and came to see it," Loge replied. "It were nearer the truth if ye come to envy me, and to spy out my possessions," he answered, but Loge laughed as he retorted: "What! you miserable imp of darkness! You speak thus to me! Do you not remember me? I was once of thy realm. Pray tell me what you would do in your underground caverns with your forges and smithies if I were to deny you my flame? How, then, would you forge your precious rings?" Loge laughed mockingly. "You are that false rogue, the Spirit of Flame, then?" Alberich said. "Never mind calling names; you can't get on without me, you know that well enough," Loge answered, grinning. "What good can thy treasures do thee here in this perpetual night?" Wotan asked. "My gold shall buy me even the Gods, themselves." Alberich replied; "and though I forswore love, I am likely to get even that; my gold shall buy it for me." "What prevents some one stealing thy magic ring? Thou hast no friend in all the world, so when you sleep who shall guard the ring?" "My own wit! What, think you I am a fool? Let us see! By my own cunning I have had fashioned this Tarnhelm which makes me invisible to all. Then who shall find me when I sleep?" he demanded triumphantly. Loge smiled contemptuously. "Doubtless thou wouldst be safe enough--if such magic could be," he answered, incredulously, "but----" "You doubt?" Alberich shouted, his vanity all aroused. "Well, if it be true--show us," the cunning Flame Spirit returned. Immediately Alberich set the Tarnhelm upon his head. "What would ye that I become?" "Oh, it matters not--so that you become something that you are not," Loge answered carelessly. "Then behold!" Alberich cried, and instantly he turned into a great writhing serpent which coiled and uncoiled at Wotan's feet. "Oh, swallow me not," Loge cried, as if in mortal fear. Then Alberich, becoming himself again shouted, "Now will you doubt?" "That was very well done," Loge assured him, "and I grant you frightened me; but as for your safety--if you could have turned yourself into some small thing--a toad or mouse for example--it would be safer for you."