There is, when a distinction is made, an _agni_ which is single, the altar-fire, separate from other fires; but it is seldom that Agni is not felt as the threefold one.
And now for the interpretation of the modern ritualists.

The Hindu ritual had 'the three fires,' which every orthodox believer was taught to keep up.

The later literature of the Hindus themselves very correctly took these three fires as types of the three forms of Agni known in the Rig Veda.

But to the ritualists the historical precedence is inverted, and they would show that the whole Vedic mythological view of an Agni triad is the result of identifying Agni with the three fires of the ritual.

From this crass method of interpretation it would result that all Vedic mythology was the child of the liturgy[2].
As earthly fire Agni is first ignis:[3] "Driven by the wind, he hastens through the forest with roaring tongues....