It must be remembered that the animals which appear in Indian stories
are not the same as those which exist now. When the world began,
animals were much bigger, stronger and cleverer than their present
counterparts but, because of man's cruelty and agression, these left
the earth and took the rainbow path to Galunlati, the Sky Land, where
they still remain. The animals which came after them -
those we know today - are weak imitations of those first creatures.

Storytelling Library