F is for Fire Opals (Gemstone Folklore)

Welcome to the 2022 A to Z Blogging Challenge! My theme this year is Gemstone Folklore. Because I love stories about shiny things. Read the introduction to the project here.

FIRE OPAL

Fire opals are a translucent, usually red-orange-yellow colored variant of opal. They are usually less colorful than other kinds of opal, but can be turned into very intensely beautiful gems.

The opal that turned into fire

Wanggumara people, Australia

This legend tells of a pelican that takes on a long and exhausting journey towards the north, seeking Cooper's Creek (original name not noted). He carries water in his pouch for the long flight. He is sent by a cleverman, who promises that the gold would turn into gold when it reaches the destination. However, along the way the pelican is attacked, and after that, water begins to leak from his beak, turning into gold. Blood that spills from his wound turns into opals. In the end, he lands on top of a hill called Bildimini, about 100 miles from Cooper's Creek. There he dies, the water and blood turning into rich deposits of gold and opals.

In another legend, later on another pelican takes on the same flight north, to bring news to the Wanggumara people about distant lands. It stops to rest on the same hill, and is amazed by the beautiful colors of the opal. The bird doesn't recognize what opal is, so it chips at it with its beak. The chipping create sparks, which set the dry grass on fire. The fire burns all the way down to the river, where the people discover how to cook fish. Thus, the first pelican brings people gold and opals, and the second brings the gift of fire.

(The legends don't specifically say fire opals, but since they are connected to fire, and born from blood, I made a jump.)

Sources: 

You can find two versions of this story in this book.

Do you know any beliefs attached to opals? 

Do you personally like them?