Tooth Fairies

Tooth Traditions

 

Tooth traditions are different in several European countries under different names. In Spain there is a character called Ratoncito Pérez, it is a little mouse sometimes referred to as just Ratón or tooth mouse "ratón de los dientes". The character was created in 1894 by a priest Luis Coloma who died in 1915 he was a member of the Spanish Royal Academy and the Royal family asked him to write a tale for Alfonso XIII one of the royal princes as he had lost one of his teeth. The mouse subsequently appeared in the story of the 'Vain Little Mouse.' The Raton was adopted in many Spanish speaking countries as well as countries like South Africa. In Italy Fatina the tooth fairy is often substituted by Topino the little mouse, and meaning the same in France La Petite Souris. Scotland with its white Fairy Rat actually purchases coins and in Ireland with all their Celtic traditions they have a more modern Annabogle.

Further a field in Asia the oriental custom is to the throw the tooth onto the roof if it came from the bottom jaw, or into the space under the floor if it came from the top. At the same time the child shouts his wish for the tooth to be replaced with the tooth of a mouse. Traditionally this is based on the fact that the teeth of rodents go on growing for their whole life. In parts of India, young children are encouraged to offer their discarded milk tooth wrapped in cotton to the sun.

Tooth Fairy Boxes

Delightful pewter Tooth Fairy Boxes certainly captures the magic of the occasion with a beautiful fairy sitting upon a cushion, keeping safe the tooth with.

Many others available

Thank you for your wonderful fairy website. A few months ago my children began correspondance with the Tooth Fairy (which role has brought me a lot of fun and joy as their father) and my nine-year-old daughter, in her letter, asked what her name was. I needed some inspiration as I knew it couldn't be some simple or silly name undeserving of such a noble fairy. I found just the inspiration I needed on your site. I thought you might appreciate knowing how your site has helped make life a little more magical in one family's life. Here's an excerpt from The Tooth Fairy's most recent letter to my daughter (in case the correct font doesn't show up, it is, of course, written in a font much more elegant and deserving of The Tooth Fairy's handwriting):

My full name is...The Tooth Fairy. "The" is my first name. "Tooth" is my middle name. And "Fairy" is my last name... Ha, ha. I'm just being silly.

Okay, you may not have realized it but you have asked a very serious and important question that many humans have not thought to ask, and of those who have thought to ask, few know. But, Dear One, I will share it with you, though you must be very careful with my name, okay? I'll tell you why in a little while. My real name is Rhoswen Fayette Tana Luna. Let me explain how to say it and what my name means, as it is a very special name.

* Rhosewen is pronounced "rose-when." It is from the Gaelic language and it means "white rose." * Fayette is pronounced just like it looks. It is from the French and it means "little fairy." * Rhosewen Fayette is really my first name (we use two names for a first name, in case you didn't know). However, my nickname is just Rhosewen, which I think is a beautiful name, don't you? * Tana is pronounced "tah-nah" and it is a Russian word that means "fairy queen." * Luna is pronounced "loo-nah" and it is Latin for "the moon." * So, my last name is those two names together: Tana Luna. Also, my last name is more like my title, more than it is a name.

In English, then, my full name is The Little Fairy White Rose, Fairy Queen of the Moon

Fairy names tend to describe the fairy. I am little, I tend to like the color white, because of my love of baby teeth, of course, and of clouds and so I have white rose and the moon in my name. You may not have known, but if you think about it you will see why-I am not an ordinary fairy. As my name suggests, I am a true Fairy Queen-just think of the importance of what I do, my castle and my throne. I bet you're saying, "Oh, yes! Of course!"

My name comes from many languages. As you can see, it is a very special name. Very, very, very, very, very, very, very few people know my real name, so please do not tell anyone unless they are very special to you and only if they will promise not to tell anyone else. You may tell your family, of course, and maybe a few of your special friends, but only if they promise not to tell others. Thank you for respecting my name.

I told you I would tell you why you must be so careful with my name. You probably remember from the story Peter Pan that fairies can only exist if children believe in them. Do you remember what happened to Tinkerbell when someone said, "I don't believe in fairies?" and how Peter said it was so very important to instead say, "I do believe in fairies" to keep Tinkerbell alive? Do you remember that? Well, I can only share my name with those who will believe in me, because if someone were to say my full name and then say they didn't believe in me then that would be very sad. I don't even like to think about it, really.

However, the happy news is that children do believe. That is why I love them so. That is why I love you so. You have such a wonderful imagination and can see things in your mind even if you can't see them with your eyes, right? A very brilliant and famous scientist, Albert Einstein, once said, and I believe he was right, that "Imagination is more important than knowledge."

Well, Dear Heart, I have written a lot and must be going. I wish you much love.

Your friend,