The tooth fairy is a traditional character that is largely popular in the Western culture. The tooth fairy is known for giving children a small amount of money or sometimes a gift as a token for their deciduous tooth.
The tale about the tooth fairy comes from a number of speculations and beliefs. One of these beliefs came from some European folklore in which it is believed that creatures such as fairies, elves or brownies regard the things that humans view useless as something that is of value. Thus, they perform useful tasks in exchange for these treasures.
Another cultural tale states that the tooth fairy came from the belief that teeth are valuable possessions that can be used to ward off witches and demons. Cultural historians even suggest that during the early times, Vikings were required to give children a tooth fee in exchange for their tooth.
In another story, the tooth fairy came from the tooth mouse, which can be seen in an 18th century French Language fairy tale “La Bonne Petite Souris,” in which a mouse transforms into a fairy in order to help a good queen from an evil king. In the tale, the mouse hides under the king's pillow to torment him and knocks out all his teeth.
The tooth fairy is often presented to many children as a fact much like Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny. Children are commonly asked to place the tooth under their pillows before heading to sleep. Some versions require the child to place the tooth inside a glass of water. The glass should be placed beside the child's bed. A coin or a present would then be seen in the morning as a token for the tooth.
Although parents know that the tooth fairy is merely folklore, many still prefer to practice this tradition. Some parents urge their child to do it for the purpose of giving the child a sense of faith for the things that are unseen. Others use this tradition to teach a child how to give up something that they have grown attached to.
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