hours after noon
Now the dog Bran , being unhungered , and refusing 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 can not 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 .