“That’s the fire water,” said the crow. “It promised you wings. It gave you stones.”
But he never refused it if it was offered. Coyote-s Tale. Fire Water
So when he smelled the strange new vapor rising from a canyon pool—steam that shimmered like heat lightning and bit the nose like a rattler’s tail—Coyote grinned. “That’s the fire water,” said the crow
Then the fire water began to work . The world tilted. The stars melted into puddles. Coyote tried to walk north, but his feet insisted on spirals. He tried to speak, but his tongue turned into a wet snake. So when he smelled the strange new vapor
Badger just blinked.
That was the first lesson of fire water: it burns twice. Once going down. Once when you wake up. Coyote crawled to the river at dawn. His head felt like a drum someone had beaten all night. His eyes were red as embers. A crow landed nearby and laughed—a rusty, knowing sound.