A Tooth on the Looth Quiz | Mythology & Legends

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The tooth fairy is a relatively new concept, only really becoming popular in the twentieth century. From before the Middle Ages, unique ways of disposing of milk teeth abounded in Europe. Being swallowed, buried or burned were common, but they were also left for which animals to eat?

Answer: Rodents

Teeth were often buried in the garden, in order for a new tooth to be free to grow in its place. Teeth being swallowed was common too, but burning and feeding the teeth to rats and mice were the most popular. Rodents were chosen, as rodent teeth grow throughout the animal's lifetime and were perceived as having strong teeth. Feeding the teeth to animals was a common thread around the world.

In ancient Ethiopia teeth were thrown to hyenas, in Mongolia they were fed to a dog and in Brazil they were thrown to birds.

2. In Medieval Europe, children were advised to burn their teeth for two reasons. The first was so that they did not spend their afterlife trying to locate their teeth and what was the second?

Answer: Fear of witches

Due to superstitions about witches being able to control you upon obtaining a piece of your body (tooth, fingernail, hair), children in Medieval Europe would throw their milk teeth into a fire. Fear of witches was rife in early Europe and spread well into the Middle Ages. By 1450 it had turned into a fear-filled frenzy which lasted over 200 years and culminated in a slew of witch trials.

3. References in the "Eddas" (Medieval Icelandic literary works) suggest that traditions of money for tooth transactions took place in what is now known as Scandinavia. What were these transactions referred to as?

Answer: Tooth fee

The tooth fee or tand-f� was an old Norse tradition mentioned in the "Eddas" in the 13th century. This was money which was paid to children on the loss of their first milk tooth. Today the Norwegian tooth fairy is known as "Tannfe". The Norwegian tradition differs from the conventional idea of leaving your tooth under your pillow, in that Norwegian children leave their tooth in a glass of water on the nightstand.

This is to aid the tooth fairy to see the tooth clearly instead of rooting around under pillows.

4. Vikings used children's possessions as good luck charms in battle and paid children for their milk teeth. How did they use these teeth?

Answer: Worn as a necklace

The teeth were worn around the neck. Teeth have factored strongly in various cultures throughout the world. In the "Cultural Encyclopedia of the Body" edited by Victoria Pitts-Taylor in the section on "Teeth", the author writes "The most direct cultural associations with teeth are themes of power, strength and destruction." Many tribes filed their teeth to sharp points and the Yuga tribe of the Amazon used to remove the teeth from decapitated heads of their enemies to wear as necklaces.

5. The tooth mouse was the first "tooth collector" myth to originate. It more than likely started with a French fairytale called "La Bonne Petite Souris" ("The Good Little Mouse") written by Madame d'Aulnoy in 1697. What did the little mouse do in the fairytale which gave rise to the myth?

Answer: Hid under a pillow and knocked an evil king's teeth out

"The Good Little Mouse" featured a happy king and queen expecting their first child and a jealous, evil king who killed the happy king and imprisoned the queen. A mouse kept her company in her cell and once she gave birth to her daughter, the mouse turned into a fairy who offered to care for the child. Further along in the story, the little mouse crept under the evil king's pillow and knocked out all his teeth in punishment for his evil deeds.

6. One of the earliest references to the tooth fairy as we know her today, is found in the Chicago Tribune's "Household Hints" section in 1908, written by Lillian Brown. She does not mention leaving money in return for the tooth, what does she suggest instead?

Answer: Little gifts from the 5 cent counter

The snippet can be found on page 3 of the "Chicago Tribune" dated Sun 27 Sept 1908, under 'Nursery' in the 'Household Hints' section:

"Tooth Fairy.

Many a refractory child will allow a loose tooth to be removed if he knows about the tooth fairy. If he takes his little tooth and puts it under the pillow when he goes to bed the tooth fairy will come in the night and take it away, and in its place will leave some little gift. It is a nice plan for mothers to visit the 5 cent counter and lay in a supply of articles to be used on such occasions. Lillian Brown."

7. Reinforcing the idea of the tooth fairy, a playlet was written in 1927 by Esther Watkins Arnold and a children's story by Lee Rogow published in 1949. Both share the same name. What were they called?

Answer: The Tooth Fairy

Esther Watkins Arnold's playlet, published in 1927 was the first time that the tooth fairy had appeared in print (as opposed to just being referred to). In her playlet she encourages children to eat their vegetables, to practice good dental hygiene and get plenty of fresh air.

Lee Rogow published his short story in "Collier's Weekly" August 20, 1949.

8. In certain parts of Europe and Spanish cultures worldwide, rats and mice are the "tooth collectors". The most popular of these is a rat named Rat�n P�rez or El Ratoncito P�rez. Which toothpaste manufacturer used him in their advertising campaign in Venezuela?

Answer: Colgate

Rat�n P�rez originated in 1894 in Madrid, Spain. His first appearance was as the husband of La Ratita Presumida (The Vain Little Mouse) in 1877 in "Tales, Riddles and Popular Sayings" by Fern�n Caballero. The Spanish Author Luis Coloma would turn him into the "tooth fairy" in 1894 when he wrote a story for the then eight year old future king of Spain, Alfonso XIII.

Not only did Colgate use Rat�n P�rez in their campaign, he also starred in a 2006 Argentine film called "El Rat�n P�rez".

9. In certain Asian countries, the tradition of dealing with teeth is different. What is their general method for dealing with teeth?

Answer: Thrown up in the sky or down to the ground

The idea behind throwing your teeth up in the sky or straight down to the ground is to ensure that the new teeth grow back strong and straight. In a number of Asian cultures the teeth are thrown onto a roof. In a number of middle eastern countries, the tooth is thrown at the sun. On all the tooth traditions I read about, only in Lithuania do the teeth get kept as souvenirs.

10. While also observed on August 22nd, which date is traditionally accepted as National Tooth Fairy Day?

Answer: 28 February

Interestingly enough, February 28th is also National Chocolate Souffle Day, National Pancake Day and International Pancake Day. It seems a little counter productive. Or perhaps National Tooth Fairy Day was created to ensure that people brush their teeth after consuming chocolate souffle pancakes?

Source: Author kino76

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor looney_tunes before going online.
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A Tooth on the Looth Trivia Quiz

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