The sly, wicked Mimi came slinking to the place where the dragon lay.
When he saw it lying dead under the trees, he looked about for
Siegfried, but Siegfried was nowhere to be seen.
"Now I shall rush in and snatch the ring! At last I shall have my pay
for all these years of trouble with that rogue I hate!"
But scarcely had Mimi turned toward the dragon's cave when suddenly
Alberich sprang before him.
"You sly, crafty rascal!" cried Alberich. "What do you want here? Ha! I
have caught you at your sneaking tricks! Long have I guarded here! You
shall not steal my gold! Get back to your murky cave."