India, Dec. 12 -- He soars, feeling the warm updraft of air cushion his outstretched wings, which stretch 7 ft from tip to tip, as he flies towards the sun. In his youthful ebullience, he goes farther than before, further than he should. Too late, he realises this, as he feels the heat of the sun singe his feathers.

This is not the cautionary tale of Icarus. This is an Indian tale, and the moral is different.

Sampati sees his younger brother falter. Ever cautious, he shouts at him to slow down, turn around, but his brother won't listen. Finally, with a powerful sweep of his wings, the great vulture surges ahead and shelters his brother under his wings. He feels the heat of the sun burn his feathers and tumbles towards Earth, wingless, p...