he pier, where his fast sailing vessel was ready to start. All
the Langobardians had already embarked, and Rother escorted the princess on
board, bidding the empress wait on the quay until he returned for her. But
as soon as he and his fair charge set foot upon deck, the vessel was pushed
off, and Rother called out to the distressed empress that he had deceived
her in order to carry away her daughter, who was now to become the
Langobardian queen.

Constantine, on his return, was of course very angry at having been so
cleverly duped, and vainly tried to devise some plan for recovering the
daughter whom he loved so well. When a magician came, therefore, and
promised to execute his wishes, he gladly provided him with vessel and crew
to sail to Bari. The magician, disguised as a peaceful merchant, spread out
his wares as soon as he was anchored in port, and by a series of artful
questions soon ascertained that Rother was absent, and that Oda was at
home, carefully guarded by the principal nobles of the realm. When he also
learned that one of these noblemen had a crippled child, the magician
informed the people who visited his vessel to inspect his wares, that the
most precious treasure in his possession was a magic stone, which, in a
queen's hands, had the power of restoring cripples.

The rumor of this miraculous stone reached the court, and the nobleman
persuaded the kind-hearted queen to go down to the vessel to try the
efficacy of the stone. As soon as Oda was on board, the vessel set sail,
bearing her away from her husband and back to her father's home, where she
was welcomed with great demonstrations of joy.

Rother, coming back from the war shortly after her disappearance,
immediately prepared a vessel to go in pursuit of her, selecting his giants
and bravest noblemen to accompany him. Once more they landed at a short
distance from Constantinople, and Rother bade his men hide in a thicket,
while he went into the city, disguised as a pilgrim, and carrying under his
robe a hunting horn, which he promised to sound should he at any time find
himself in danger.

He no sooner entered the city than he noticed with surprise that all the
inhabitants seemed greatly depressed. He questioned them concerning their
evident sadness, and learned that Imelot, having effected his escape from
captivity, had invaded the kingdom, and vowed that he would not retreat
unless Oda married his ugly and hunchbacked son that very day.

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