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The Mysterious Appearance of the Tooth Fairy: What Does She Really Look Like?
The Tooth Fairy is a folklore character active in Western culture, especially when children are growing new teeth. The existence of the Tooth Fairy makes the process more interesting. In this legend, when children lose their baby teeth, they place the teeth under their pillows in the hope that the Tooth Fairy will come at night and leave a small reward for the teeth. This legend not only adds to the childlike interest, but also triggers many speculations and imaginations about the appearance of the Tooth Fairy.
The Tooth Fairy is not as fixed and consistent in appearance as Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny. Depictions of the character vary over time and cultural context, adding to the mystery.
The origin of the Tooth Fairy
The legend of the Tooth Fairy dates back to the Middle Ages. Children in England at the time were warned to burn their baby teeth or their lost teeth would never be found in the afterlife. In many cultures, it is unlucky to remove the spirit of a tooth, so people deal with lost baby teeth in different ways.
An early description of the Tooth Fairy appeared in the Chicago Daily Tribune in 1908, which stated: "Many naughty children, upon learning of the Tooth Fairy's existence, are willing to have their Loose Tooth pulled out in the hope that the tooth will be removed." The fairy came at night to take the tooth and leave a small gift." These descriptions kicked off the legend of the tooth fairy and made it a part of childhood.
Appearance of the Tooth Fairy
The Tooth Fairy's appearance varies by culture and tradition; according to a 1984 study conducted by Rosamarie Wells, 74% of people believed the Tooth Fairy was female, while 12% believed the Tooth Fairy was female. It doesn't matter, 8% thought the Tooth Fairy could be of any gender.
In the imagination of many people, the Tooth Fairy may be an elf with wings and a wand in hand, or it may be a man, a rabbit or a mouse.
The study also found that in addition to the cute elf image, the Tooth Fairy may also be depicted as a variety of different characters, including children, flying ballet dancers, and even smoking men. These different images make the Tooth Fairy's Legends are more unique.
Tooth Fairy’s Reward
Depending on the country and the family's financial situation, the rewards left by the Tooth Fairy also vary. A 2013 Visa Inc. survey found that American children received an average of $3.70 per tooth. This reward amount increases with inflation.
Current research also shows that children generally receive higher rewards when they lose their first tooth than subsequent teeth.
Belief in the Tooth Fairy
Children's trust in the Tooth Fairy reflects their innocent character. This belief gives children psychological comfort to a certain extent, although adults often regard this belief as too naive. As most children grow older, they gradually become aware of the fictional nature of the Tooth Fairy, a process that is often accompanied by suspicion of other similar characters.
Tooth Fairy legends around the world
In Spain and Latin America, the Tooth Fairy’s counterpart is El Ratón Pérez, a little mouse that specializes in helping children deal with their baby teeth. Other regions, such as Italy and Korea, also have their own unique ways of treating teeth.
In Japan, children throw the upper teeth to the ground and the lower teeth upwards to make the new teeth grow straight.
Tooth Fairy in Culture
The concept of the tooth fairy exists not only in children's literature, but also in movies and music. In 1927, children's playwright Esther Watkins Arnold created a small character and officially named it "The Tooth Fairy", which laid the foundation for the subsequent image of the Tooth Fairy.
As a mysterious character, the Tooth Fairy plays different roles in different cultures, adding to our expectations for some little luck in our growth. Although such beliefs will disappear with age, the imagination of the Tooth Fairy in every child's mind undoubtedly adds to precious childhood memories. So, for kids, what is the Tooth Fairy really like?
