oge and the War-god; "wait
till my time comes!--I'll make you dance." The awful little fellow
roared from his small throat with rage.

"Never mind that: we shall be able to take care of ourselves," the God
answered, while Alberich lifted the ring and the Nibelungen rushed
pell-mell into the rocks again.

"Being a God, you think you can take what you desire without pay; but
even the Gods must pay. The gold was stolen and you need not think to
profit by another's roguery."

"We shall chance it," Wotan replied, with a smile--"so take off that
ring of thine--" At this Alberich gave a frightful scream.

"Never! I will give my life, but never this ring. Oh, you wretches!
Rascals! Villains!" He stopped shouting for sheer lack of breath. He
saw before him the loss of that which was to win him back his gold and
power. Wotan made a motion to Loge, who laughed and dragged the ring
from the dwarf's hand, Wotan put the magic ring upon his own finger,
and Alberich nearly fainted with despair. Gathering his scattered
senses, he began to utter a frightful curse upon the ring. He swore
that whoever had it should meet ruin and death instead of power and
happiness, and cursing thus in a way to curdle even the blood of the
Gods, he spat at Wotan.

"Have done, thou groundling," Loge said. "Go to thy hole." Alberich
fled, still crying curses on the gold.

When Wotan and Loge first returned to earth with the imp, it had been
twilight, but now, just before night, the light grew stronger, and
when the mist that had hung lightly over all cleared away, Fricka,
Donner, and Froh could be seen hurrying to the tryst.

"Thou hast brought Freia's ransom," Fricka cried, joyously, looking at
the great golden heap. "Already, she must be near, because see! Do we
not all grow younger?" she asked tremblingly, looking at the others.

"It is true; we were dying and now I feel strength in all my limbs,"
Donner answered, looking in amazement at his brother Gods.

"Yes--here comes Freia with Fafner and Fasolt." Freia would have
rushed into Fricka's arms, but the Giants still held her fast.

"She is not thine till we have the gold," they declared; and thrusting
his staff into the earth, Fafner said:

"Thou shalt heap the Rheingold as high as my staff--which is as high
as the Goddess, and the heap shall be made as thick and as broad as
she. When this is done, she is thine." Wotan called out impatiently:

"Heap up the gold; make haste and be rid of the