The stork has the same symbolic value in ancient Egypt (ibis) as in Christianism. It is a conductor of souls. In Alsace, it builds its nest in the chimneys of traditional houses, like in Riquewihr. Storks always return to it all along their 70 years of life. Young adults take great care of their aging parents. They bring them food and help them stand with their outstretched wings. The Romans were so impressed by this altruism that they voted the stork law. Adults were legally forced to look after the well-being of their elderly parents. The myth of the stork depositing a newborn baby in houses originates in the 19th century.