WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Wheel of Time Episode 3, "A Place of Safety," and Episode 4, "The Dragon Reborn," streaming now on Prime Video.

The world of The Wheel of Time is populated by all kinds of distinct cultures, some of which have traits that correspond to the real world, while others are completely new inventions. The first season is limited in its scope to the places where the main characters can travel and the people that they meet there, however, the Tuatha'an make a significant, and quite literally colorful, appearance.

After the party has been split up by the events of their detour through Shadar Logoth, Perrin and Egwene find each other and attempt to continue toward the White Tower. They're kept on the run by a pack of wolves, who, as Egwene observes, seem to actually lead them to safety rather than attacking. Once they find the company of other humans, though, the pair don't quite know what to make of them -- understandably, as several families and their huge dogs materialize out of the fog and their leader Ila and Raen say only, "Do you know the song?"

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Ila and Raen's grandson Aram, who is close to their own age, breaks the ice with an explanation of how Perrin and Egwene are supposed to respond to the unusual greeting: "Your welcome warms our spirit, as your fire warms the flesh, but we do not know the song." They're invited to sit by said fires and given some much-needed food, and their suspicion gradually evaporates.

The Tuatha'an, also called Tinkers, are a traveling people who make their living trading and repairing household items. They wear brightly-colored clothing and paint their wagons in the same way, leading to some delightful visuals in their scenes on the show. The most unusual thing about them, though, is the philosophy that they call the Way of the Leaf.

As Perrin and Egwene learn by traveling alongside them and conversing, the Way of the Leaf is inspired by the way leaves grow and fall from the trees without resisting their fate. It means absolute pacifism, with any kind of violence forbidden even if it's to save a life. The Tinkers don't eat meat, don't learn any kind of self-defense and don't even train their dogs to guard, beyond barking at strangers.

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For Perrin especially, haunted by the death of his wife Laila at his own hands, this kind of belief system is tempting but difficult to swallow. In The Wheel of Time books, he's also caught between the Tuatha'an and another new ally, Elyas, who communicates with wolves and shares their eat-or-be-eaten values. Perrin's nature is pushing him toward the wolves, but he's wary of Elyas, who openly scorns the Way of the Leaf and accuses the Tinkers of trying to convert everyone they meet.

Eventually, Egwene gets around to asking Aram about the song. He himself is skeptical, but he dutifully recites the legend: "In the last Age, our people supposedly knew a song that brought harmony to the world. It was lost in the Breaking, but if we can only find it again, people will live in peace and happiness for the rest of their days."

Cultures forgetting their own histories is a recurring theme in The Wheel of Time, with the second episode showing how the Two Rivers villagers all knew the words of an old folk song but had no idea that it was about their own land, which was once called Manetheren. What sets the Tuatha'an apart is their determination to reclaim what they believe they lost, even though they acknowledge that they don't really know what they're looking for.

Although the song may never be found and the Way of the Leaf isn't for everyone, the Tinkers' kindness and generosity are undeniable. In one scene, Egwene takes a breather from joining in their lively dances to speak with Aram. After learning about the search for the song, she looks around at the laughter and music and wisely asks, "Are you sure you haven't already found it?"

The first four episodes of The Wheel of Time are currently streaming on Prime Video with new episodes airing every Friday, but they do not know the song.

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