The Tooth Fairy Legend

The legend of the tooth fairy is a prized one in American culture. But where did this legend come from? The following article describes the conventions and possible origins of the tooth fairy.

The tooth fairy comes when a child has lost a tooth. Commonly, she is very small, and she comes in the middle of the night. The child is to leave the tooth under his/her pillow, so that the tooth fairy can take it during her visit. Once she has taken the tooth, she leaves monetary reimbursement under the pillow, anything from ten cents to a dollar. (This action is done by a parent.) The teeth are then taken to her tower, and used for her purposes.

Pictures of the tooth fairy have been captured in everything from storybooks to art. The painter Maxfield Parrish is said to have depicted her once in the corner of a painting. Fairies in general are generally considered to be great influences in art, and folklore and legend surround each fairy tale. It is reasonable to think that the tooth fairy legend originated from a place where folklore and legend are tradition, namely, England or Ireland.