Kit was resting, recovering from some injuries, when Coyote returned carrying a recently killed badger.
“I’ve brought some excellent food!” said Coyote. “There’s nothing like fresh meat to help your body replace a little lost blood.”
“That is very generous of you,” said Kit. “Perhaps I could eat the heart and other organs.”
“Eat all of it,” said Coyote. “I have been quite the warrior this morning and have already eaten a squirrel and many termites. Don’t let any of this delicious badger go to waste. That, too, is part of the Gift of Respect.”
“I do respect the sacrifice made by Badger so that I could have some fresh meat. But…, I need fire to be able to eat all that meat.”
“That must be one reason why I always smell fire smoke when I use my scout skills to observe human beings,” said Coyote. “Many times have I tested my stealth skills by watching human beings as they gather around a fire. Frankly, your dogs pay more attention than most of your people!”
“I do miss fire. But I am a bear now and bears don’t use fire,” said Kit.
“Silly young person. I thought we agreed that you are both a bear and a human being. I’ve seen you make sharp pieces of rock to cut food. Why not use other human tools?”
“I don’t know…. Besides, it’s hard to make fire! I’ve seen it done many times, and I think I remember how….”
Kit looked around, and only a few feet away was a sage bush.
“That sage bush is a good plant for making fire,” said Kit.
“Well, that, I would like to see!” said Coyote.
Inspired by Coyote’s curiosity, and especially inspired by the idea of eating some cooked meat, Kit decided to try and make fire.
Using a sharp piece of rock, Kit cut off parts of the sage bush. Kit knew that fast work would be needed if the meat was to be cooked before going bad. Kit made a base-board and a long straight rod. Kit then gathered some dry grasses and ripped up other dry wood, making a bundle that looked a bit like a squirrel’s nest. Kit also gathered other dry wood that was nearby, sorting it into different size pieces.
Coyote watched, amazed, as Kit took the rod and spun it as fast as possible, back and forth, on a notch cut into the baseboard. Smoke started to rise from the board! After a great deal of effort, and what appeared to be many failed attempts, Kit suddenly dropped the rod and gentle tapped a small glowing coal into the bundle. Kit blew into the thin line of smoke rising from the bundle, and, it burst into flame!