To Tish this is irrelevant and abstract; she has to learn it for herself--she has to meet the World's Greatest Dancing Bear and his mime assistant in order to understand life as a gift. Different as they are--the aging bear and the child Tish--they share a secret: they're both running from death. For the dancing bear the race is almost over; the feared Ringmaster (death) will soon take him to the "center ring." He no longer wonders "Where did I come from?" but "Where am I going?" Not "Why me?" but "When?" He's afraid of this coming darkness; if he can't become an exception, Dancing Bear at least wants to cling to life's loveliness a bit longer, make his peace, and, above all, pass on his celebrated dances to a disciple who can perpetuate his art.