Ratoncito Perez

In Spain, the tooth fairy takes the form of a small mouse—Ratoncito Perez—who comes at night to take the lost tooth from under the child’s pillow and replace it with some money or a small gift.  No one knows why it’s a mouse, or why it’s named Perez, but there you have it.  I am no fan of rodents, so the idea of a mouse—even an imaginary one—crawling into my child’s bed to take her lost tooth gives me the heebie-jeebies.  We have stuck with the American tooth fairy this year.

C.C. has lost so many teeth this year that her piggy bank is heavy with euros.  But earlier this week we found ourselves in a fix.  One day, the tooth was loose, and the next day it was simply gone.  C.C.’s theory is that she swallowed it while eating a pear.

With no tooth to put under the pillow, C.C. put her persuasive writing skills to work and wrote the following note:

“Dear Tooth Fairy:

I lost a tooth, but I swallowed it.  Honest, look in my mouth.  I’ll keep it open.

Love,

C.C.

ROAR”

See photo below for the original, as my transcription does not do it justice.