We’ve had a few interesting experiences with the tooth fairy over the years; namely, her mysteriously failing to collect a tooth or two on time.
She always turns up eventually though, and once she left some chocolate coins instead of real coins.
She’s a law unto herself, that fairy.
My youngest child, Conor, is six and a half and recently got two wobbly teeth at the bottom.
There was much anticipation as those teeth got wobblier and wobblier; his first visit from the tooth fairy was imminent.
We were on holidays in Spain at the time (alas, a distant memory) so the added excitement of an exotic Spanish fairy paying a visit made it all the more magical.
One evening as Conor vigorously brushed his teeth, he stopped dead in his tracks and stared at me.
“Mum, my tooth,” he gurgled through a mouthful of toothpaste foam.
I grabbed a cup and told him to spit into it.
Too late – the tooth had been swallowed.
This was uncharted territory for us.
“Well, imagine that for a stroke of luck!” I cheered.
“Did you know that if you accidentally swallow your very first tooth, the fairy brings you extra money?!”
Conor’s face lit up with relief and joy. He thought it was game over for that tooth. Oh absolutely not. The tooth fairy would still come.
The next morning, Conor woke up to a whopping €8 in random coins under his pillow.
The going rate for the first tooth in our house is €5 and €2 thereafter, so this was a great bonus for Conor.
His older siblings were mostly impressed, if not a little envious.
“How come you never told me you get extra money for swallowing your first tooth?!” huffed Evan.
Low and behold, the very next evening, Conor’s second tooth fell out, safe and sound into his hand.
We all marvelled at the pearly little tooth and Conor was so chuffed to have it to put under his pillow this time.
Then… he dropped it on the floor and it just vanished. Poor Conor!
In fairness, he took it well. Perhaps he was wondering what lucrative clause was in place for such an occurrence.
We searched along the skirting boards and peered under the fridge with a torch.
No joy.
Once again, Conor went to bed with no tooth to put under his pillow, but the tooth fairy would still come, surely.
With the kids settled in bed, I crawled around on the white marble floor in search of the tiny white tooth.
I even talked to the main man, St. Anthony.
‘I know someone else is probably in your ear right now, trying to find a diamond ring or something, but please help me find this tooth.’
And suddenly there it was, literally right under my nose as I inspected the floor.
I woke Conor triumphantly to show him the tooth and he was thrilled as he tucked it safely under his pillow.
A fair trade could now be made.
The next morning, Conor was delighted that the Spanish tooth fairy saw fit to leave €2.50 for that little tooth.
The Spanish tooth fairy is away with the fairies, if you ask me!
All’s well that ends well; Conor came home from holidays, minus two teeth, but with enough loose change in his pockets to drag his shorts down.
Louise Flanagan is an admin of Letterkenny Babies Facebook page and the author of the children’s book series, Dragonterra and Dream Beasts. www.dragonterra.ie
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