The Tooth Fairy: A Magical Tradition Around the World
Who hasn’t smiled when seeing a child flash a big grin with a missing baby tooth? This phase is truly enchanting. While loose and falling teeth may scare some children, an age-old legend still makes this moment highly anticipated.
Across different cultures, stories about the Tooth Fairy—or similar figures— have been passed down for generations. The moment a child loses their first tooth, it’s placed under the pillow, magically turning into a coin or a small gift. But where did the Tooth Fairy folklore come from?
Uncertain Origins
Like many folklore characters, the Tooth Fairy’s origins are not entirely clear. Some traditions of exchanging baby teeth for money date back to medieval Northern Europe.
For instance, Scandinavian warriors used to wear baby teeth as necklaces, believing they brought good luck in battle. Meanwhile, in medieval England, children would burn their teeth, fearing that witches could use them to gain absolute power over their former owners or that they would spend eternity searching for their lost teeth after death.
Superstitions surrounding baby teeth have taken many forms. Today, the Tooth Fairy has become a much friendlier figure, yet it varies depending on cultural traditions.
A Mouse Instead of a Fairy?
In Brazil and the United States, the Tooth Fairy is often depicted as a tiny winged woman, but there is no universal agreement on her appearance. In some countries, people believe she could be a man, an elf, or even a mouse.
Some scholars trace the legend back to French writer Madame d’Aulnoy, who, in the late 17th century, wrote a story called La Bonne Petite Souris (The Good Little Mouse). In the tale, a queen imprisoned by the king receives help from a fairy disguised as a mouse.
In Spanish and Latin American cultures, the legend features El Ratoncito Pérez (Pérez the Little Mouse). This character gained widespread popularity through a story written by Spanish author Luis Coloma, though some researchers suggest he may have appeared earlier in the works of Benito Pérez Galdós.
