g to eat of Toma's loaf,
as all did who were ignorant of its druidical purpose, fell upon the
Magic Thread-Clue and tore it in twain. This so greatly affrighted the
champions that they sounded the Dord-Fian slowly and plaintively, hoping
that the war-cry might bring Sheela to their rescue. This availing
nothing, Finola was forced to slay Bran with her straight-sided,
silver-shining spear; but this she felt he would not mind if he could
know that he would share the splendid fate of the stoat, and speedily
have a cairn raised over him, with the word 'Bran' graven upon it in
Ogam,--since this is the consolation offered by the victorious living to
all dead Celtic heroes; and if it be a poor substitute for life, it is
at least better than nothing.

It was now many hours after noon, and though to the Fair Strangers it
seemed they had travelled more than forty or a hundred miles, they were
apparently no nearer than ever to the heart of the labyrinth: and this
from the first had been the pestiferous peculiarity of that malignantly
meandering maze. So they dismounted, and tied Enbarr to the branch of
a tree, while they refreshed themselves with a mouthful of Toma's loaf;
and Finola now put her thumb under her 'tooth of knowledge,' for she
wished new guidance and inspiration, and, being more than common modest,
she said: "Inasmuch as we are fairer than all the other maydens in this
labyrinth, why, since we cannot find the heart of the maze, do we not
entice the invaders from their hiding-place by the quicken-tree; and
when we see from what direction they advance, fall upon and slay them;
and after raising the usual cairn to their memory, and carving their
names over it in the customary Ogam, run to the enchanted tree and
gather all the berries that are left? For this is the hour when Sheela
brews the tea, and the knights and the ladies quaff it from our golden
cups; and truly I am weary of this quest, and far rather would I be
there than here."

So Pearla the Melodious took her timpan, and chanted a Gaelic song
that she had learned in the country of the Dedannans; and presently a
round-polished, red-gleaming quicken berry dropped into her lap, and
another into Finola's, and, looking up, they saw nought save only a
cloud of quicken berries falling through the air one after the other.
And this caused them to wonder, for it seemed like unto a snare set for
them; but Pearla said, "There is nought remaining for us but to meet the
da