To prove my point about Gladiators being able to show some style and grace, let me tell you a story that illustrates it. Once upon a time.... The Sugar Plum Fairies had been dancing in children's Christmas dreams for hundreds of years. They had been together so long their dance was nearly perfect. Each fairy had her own special part, meant only for her. And, that is where the trouble began. All anyone can remember is that Prissy (that is what the others called her) began to dance Penelope Plum's part. Penny was quite understandably upset. Penny, who was always polite, wondered aloud, "Prissy, why are you trying my special part? In the middle of a pirouette, Prissy laughingly replied, "Because, Penny dear, I am the best dancer of all the Fairies but you seemed to have the best part. You don't really mind if I dance your part as well as mine, do you?" Penny stammered, "Mind? Mind? Why would I mind if the best dancer has the best part. But, that is what I am already doing. You must realize I am the best dancer." Nearby, Yolanda Yellow was eavesdropping on the conversation. Knowing who the best dancer really was, and, being a bit nosy, she just had to step in. "Girls, girls! I can settle this for you. While you are both good dancers, I must say I am the best dancer in Fairy Land. So I will dance Penny's part from now on." Penny and Prissy were both too stunned to speak. But, this wasn't the case for Olivia Orange or Rena Red. Two angry voices boomed through the silence. "Not on your life!" "I can't believe you would say such a thing!" "I have always been the best dancer!" "YOU? Oh come now, let's be realistic about this!" The argument raged on for days. The Fairy Queen was beside herself. With just a month until Christmas, she could not allow this to continue. "ENOUGH!", she cried, "I have never in all my years heard anything so ugly. This type of behaviour will not be tolerated in Fairy Land. If this continues, children will not have beautiful dreams at Christmas. Instead, they will have nightmares." "This is my decision: I will take away the magic that gives all my fairies feet as light as a breeze, arms so limber they sway so delicately that Angels weep. You will have to learn to dance on your own. In one month, on the morning of Christmas Eve, I will hold auditions to see which of you really is the best dancer. This very special fairy will become the only one to dance in the Christmas dreams of children, from now til eternity." Suddenly, tinkling music could be heard wafting over the tumultuous noise. Clapping her hands, the Queen proclaimed, "Dance for me!" Onto their feet, the fairies rose. When they took their first steps, they fell into a nasty heap. They could no longer dance. Then the Gladiator stepped in since he had been practicing every minute he could in his spare time from the battle arena. The music began, and, like flowers swaying softly in spring, The Gladiator began the dance. His movements were elegant elements of ever escalating emotion. He tried to remember how it felt to swirl, twirl, and fly through the air, graceful as leaves in a gentle autumn breeze. Smiles lit his face as he realized what happiness dancing brought him. The Fairy Queen was delighted with the amount of style and grace he had shown, so she proclaimed him the best dancer in all the land. Ever since that time it has been the Gladiator that has graced the dreams of children at Christmas and he lived happily ever after.