When they reached the capital they landed and ran to the palace , leaving only the blind mouse on the shore to take care of the boat . Then they waited till it was night . The wicked old man lay down in bed and put the bronze ring into his mouth , and very soon he was asleep . `` Now , what shall we do ? '' said the two little animals to each other . The mouse with the cropped ears found a lamp full of oil and a bottle full of pepper . So she dipped her tail first in the oil and then in the pepper , and held it to the sorcerer 's nose . `` Atisha ! atisha ! '' sneezed the old man , but he did not wake , and the shock made the bronze ring jump out of his mouth . Quick as thought the lame mouse snatched up the precious talisman and carried it off to the boat . Imagine the despair of the magician when he awoke and the bronze ring was nowhere to be found ! But by that time our three mice had set sail with their prize . A favoring breeze was carrying them toward the island where the queen of the mice was awaiting them . Naturally they began to talk about the bronze ring . `` Which of us deserves the most credit ? '' they cried all at once . `` I do , '' said the blind mouse , `` for without my watchfulness our boat would have drifted away to the open sea . '' `` No , indeed , '' cried the mouse with the cropped ears ; `` the credit is mine . Did I not cause the ring to jump out of the man 's mouth ? ''
`` No , it is mine , '' cried the lame one , `` for I ran off XXXXX the ring . ''
So as at by in of on to toward with