Two hundred years ago, the larger than life abundance of animals and wilderness in this country lent itself to superstitions and tall tales. Myths grew up around animals and people which weren't always accurate, but alot of fun to tell. One animal which became the object of fear and mythical evil was the wolf. We now know that wolves are far from evil and play a very important role in forest ecosystems, keeping deer and elk populations in check. But perhaps equally as important is the role the wolf played in the lives of native people for hundreds of years. Tribes like the Nez Perce of Idaho greatly admired the wolve's hunting prowess and familial structure, and adopted many of the wolve's traits into their own tribe. Join me now for a journey into the world of wolves. Special thanks to the wonderful musicians and sound artists who contributed to this episode of Our Blue World: David Arkenstone "Yosemite," Peter Buffett "Yonondio," Alasdair Fraser "Lament for Hetch Hetchy." Natural sounds from Dan Gibson and Lang Elliott.