There was once a beautiful baby girl named Atalanta, born to a father who wanted a son. Most parents love their children, but this man, the king of Arcadia, felt no love at all. Cursing the gods for sending him a girl, he ordered his soldiers to take Atalanta to the top of the tallest mountain and leave her there!
     So the king’s men travelled to neighboring Calydon, climbed the highest peak and left the poor child there to die. Atalanta looked up at the clouds. As the hours passed, she grew hungry and began to cry. A mother bear lumbered over to see what could be making so much noise. Gently, she carried the infant back to her cave. And that is how Atalanta, born into a royal family, came to live with bears…

 In my version of this myth, the wild girl’s spirit is never tamed. She falls in love but she remains free. Click here to see the CBS adaptation of the MYTH MEN series, MYTHIC WARRIORS on YouTube. —LGB