ed with wandering
upon the earth and longed to rejoin her sisters in their sky palaces.
And on the third day, while she sat motionless upon a point of rock,
whom should she see slyly creeping up the mountain but Ruggedo!

The former King looked very forlorn. His clothes were soiled and torn
and he had no sandals upon his feet or hat upon his head. Having left
his crown and sceptre behind when he fled, the old nome no longer
seemed kingly, but more like a beggerman.

Several times had Ruggedo crept up to the mouth of the caverns, only to
find the six eggs still on guard. He knew quite well that he must
accept his fate and become a homeless wanderer, but his chief regret
now was that he had neglected to fill his pockets with gold and jewels.
He was aware that a wanderer with wealth at his command would fare much
better than one who was a pauper, so he still loitered around the
caverns wherein he knew so much treasure was stored, hoping for a
chance to fill his pockets.

That was how he came to recollect the Metal Forest.

"Aha!" said he to himself, "I alone know the way to that Forest, and
once there I can fill my pockets with the finest jewels in all the
world."

He glanced at his pockets and was grieved to find them so small.
Perhaps they might be enlarged, so that they would hold more. He knew
of a poor woman who lived in a cottage at the foot of the mountain, so
he went to her and begged her to sew pockets all over his robe, paying
her with the gift of a diamond ring which he had worn upon his finger.
The woman was delighted to possess so valuable a ring and she sewed as
many pockets on Ruggedo's robe as she possibly could.

Then he returned up the mountain and, after gazing cautiously around to
make sure he was not observed, he touched a spring in a rock and it
swung slowly backward, disclosing a broad passageway. This he entered,
swinging the rock in place behind him.

However, Ruggedo had failed to look as carefully as he might have done,
for Polychrome was seated only a little distance off and her clear eyes
marked exactly the manner in which Ruggedo had released the hidden
spring. So she rose and hurried into the cavern, where she told Kaliko
and her friends of her discovery.

"I've no doubt that that is a way to the Metal Forest," exclaimed
Shaggy. "Come, let us follow Ruggedo at once and rescue my poor
brother!"

They agreed to this and King Kaliko called together a band of nomes to
assist them by c