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.
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