One night when all the other little Nibelungs were asleep, he slipped
stealthily to his forge.

He gathered up his best tools.

Making sure that all were soundly sleeping, he stole quietly out.

What surprise and excitement there must have been the next morning when
the little black Nibelungs found that Mimi had run away and had taken
all of his best tools with him!

How they must have rushed about, each anxious to tell another the news
of the missing Mimi!

Of course, Alberich guessed very quickly for what purpose his brother
had gone.

And how Alberich must have raged when he thought of what a sad day it
would be for him should Mimi become owner of that ring!

Mimi was strangely clever.

He said to himself: "That ring is hidden somewhere in the forest. I will
go there and search until I know who has it. Then I will find some way
of getting it."

On he went, until he came to the darkest place in the woods.

The boughs overlapped each other, so much that almost no sunshine could
get through.