Black water began surfacing from the ground — carrying an odd odor and resisting any effort to wash it off the skin. The interpretations were immediate and varied: misfortune, good fortune, a divine sign, an evil omen, a natural event, a business opportunity. A festival was organized. Then, before the celebration had run its course, the black water started appearing everywhere — not just in the original location but from the springs people drank from, the clear-running streams, the hot springs at rest stops. Every water source. All at once.