(iStock | kimikodate/)
It was in Scandinavia.
According to tradition, at the time when babies used to be born at home, mothers would tell their children that they had been brought by the stork to justify the sudden appearance of a new family member. To explain that, after giving birth, the mother needed to rest for a few days, it was also said that, before leaving, the stork had pecked the mother’s leg.
The animal was chosen as a symbol mainly for two reasons. First, it is a docile and protective bird. Young storks usually pay special attention and affection to older or sick birds – so much so that the ancient Romans created a law, encouraging children to take care of the elderly in the family, called Lex Ciconaria (law of the stork).
The other reason is that they usually make their nests next to the chimneys of houses and always return to the same place to lay eggs and take care of the young. This blend of motherly generosity and faithfulness created a perfect symbol.
For many centuries, the legend remained known only in Scandinavia. But, in the 19th century, it spread to the rest of the world with the tales of a master of children’s literature, the Danish Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875).