Who came up with the tooth fariey and leaving money underneath the pillow?

Answer 1

The tooth fairy is a character in modern Western culture said to give children a small amount of money (or sometimes a gift) in exchange for a tooth when it comes out of a child's mouth.

The Tooth Fairy is an example of folklore mythology which adults know is fiction, but which is sometimes presented to children as fact. Other prominent examples are Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. The realization or discovery that such stories are make-believe is considered a part of the child's growing up. Such realizations can also cause significant emotional pain in some children due to feelings of betrayal, while other children regard it as a small matter. Many adults remember clearly for their whole lives when and how they discovered the truth.

Many families participate in the roles of this myth even when the children are also aware of the fictionality of the supposed supernatural entity, as a form of play or tradition.

This tradition is present in several western cultures under different names, for example in Spanish-speaking countries, this character is called Ratoncito Pérez, a little mouse with a common surname. In Italy also the tooth fairy (fatina) is often substited by a small mouse (topino).

ORIGINS:

The Tooth Fairy calls upon the European folklore of House Elves or Brownies who will often perform useful tasks or exchange valuable treasures for things humans view as mundane or useless.

Cultural historians say that superstition has always surrounded teeth and these valuable tokens have been used to ward off witches and demons in the past. Vikings were even supposed to give kids a "tooth fee" for using children's teeth.

In a variety of primitive cultures, the shedding of the first baby tooth became a kind of ritual. This rite of passage has been documented numerous ways. Many of these ceremonies included verbal incantations and wishes, along with actions. Variations on this custom were most likely passed along through oral communication.

The most commonly accepted belief by academics is the fairy's development from the tooth mouse, depicted in an 18th century French language fairy tale. In "La Bonne Petite Souris," a mouse changes into a fairy to help a good Queen defeat an evil King by hiding under his pillow to torment him and knocking out all his teeth. Also, in Europe, baby teeth used to be fed to rodents and other animals in the hopes of getting sharper, more rodent-like, teeth in the future.[citation needed]

This combination of ancient international traditions has evolved into one that is distinct in the United States. Folklorist Tad Tuleja suggests three factors that have turned this folk belief into a national custom: postwar affluence, a child-directed family culture, and media encouragement.

Pioneering scholar Rosemary Wells, a former professor at the Northwestern University Dental School, found archival evidence that supports the origin of different tooth fairies in the United States around 1900, but the first written reference to one specific symbol in American literature did not appear until the 1949 book, "The Tooth Fairy" by Lee Rothgow. Considered the world's tooth fairy expert, Dr. Wells even created the Tooth Fairy Museum in 1993 in her hometown of Deerfield, Illinois. But according to the local library, it evaporated after her death when her husband liquidated all her memorabilia.

In some Asian countries, such as Japan and Korea, when a child loses a tooth the usual custom is that he or she should throw it onto the roof if it came from the lower jaw, or into the space beneath the floor if it came from the upper jaw. While doing this, the child shouts a request for the tooth to be replaced with the tooth of a mouse. This tradition is based on the fact that mice's teeth go on growing for their whole life. The similarity to Western traditions about mice and teeth is a coincidence.

Answer 2

The tooth fairy as we now know her didn't make an appearance until the early 1900s, as a generalized "good fairy" with a professional specialization. The child loses a baby tooth, which is put under the pillow at night, and the tooth fairy exchanges it for a present, usually money but sometimes candy. Exchanges of this sort are common in many rites of passage (like an exchange of rings at a wedding, say).

Answer 3

Dont know, but the idea really scared my little niece. Never thought about it much until then - stranger sneaking into your room at night and rummaging under your pillow while you're asleep. Guess that would be scary to a 5yr old.

Also - to JOE D: how long have you been waiting for someone to ask this question? you certainly were quick with this dissertation.

Answer 4

The Tooth Fairy is part of the European folklore of House Elves or Brownies who perform useful tasks or exchange valuable treasures for things humans view as worthless.

Answer 5

I got a contract on the tooth fairy she stole my platinum tooth and didn't give me any money.

Answer 6

the spelling bee came up with the tooth fairy

Answer 7

I don't know but she never visited me, but visited my kids.

Answer 8

you
and also y do u care? just wondering
i would like 2 kno
email me: [e-mail]

Answer 9

i dont know but im down with it.

Answer 10

i did