Why the stork is white
At the beginning of time, when the world had just been created, all the birds were white in colour. Unfortunately, some birds were always victimising the others and since both were white, the perpetrators of the crimes could never be identified and punished. So, the weak birds continued to have their eggs robbed, their meals snatched and their nests taken over by their aggressive fellow birds.
One day, the victim birds decided to protest to the Creator. They went to Him in a delegation and complained of the terrible life they led. The Creator was aghast, since he had just then been patting himself on the back for creating such a wonderful world.
“Let me think about it,” the Creator replied, running his fingers through his grey beard.
After some time, he shouted, “Eureka! I’ve got the solution. I’ll give each species a different set of colours.”
And this is what he did. As every bird preened itself, showing off its gorgeous hues, there was suddenly a great commotion. There was a late arrival. It was the stork.
“Why are you late?” thundered the Creator, his eyes flashing lightning.
“I–I–I overslept,” mumbled the stork, blushing pink.
“Ha!” exclaimed the Creator. “You don’t lie very well. What were you really upto?”
The stork broke down. “I am sorry. But I was stealing shrimps in the lake,” said the stork, breathless with tears.
“Stealing shrimps?” boomed the Creator. “You know that stealing is forbidden in my world!”
The stork was silent. The other birds fell silent, too.
“Your punishment,” announced the Creator, “is that your feathers shall forever remain white. Then you will be visible at all times, and cannot indulge in your thieving habits!”
And that is why the stork has such dazzling white feathers. But has it stopped stealing? Just ask the shrimps!
