Raton Perez

One of my students has a loose tooth. Trying to elicit conversation, I asked her how many teeth she's lost, how many are loose, and what she does with the teeth when the fall out. Her answer? She puts it under her pillow for Raton (Mouse) Perez. A little confused, I asked for more details and interestingly enough, the tooth fairy does not exist in Spain. Raton/Ratoncito (Little Mouse) Perez brings gifts or money for children when they lose their teeth.

I found this online:

"Father Luis Coloma, a Jesuit, wrote the book about Ratoncito Pérez to tell the story of boy King Buby I, who put his fallen tooth under his pillow. The mouse woke him up when he gently brushed his fur against the boy's nose. This ratoncitolooked like a knight and was wearing golden rimmed glasses, a red coat and a sword.

Perez transforms the boy into a mouse to take him outside the kingdom with the purpose of showing him the poverty in which many of its people lived. This tale may have left a mark on the young king who was known to be kind to his people at the time he governed.

The first published book about this character appeared in 1902 and it was dedicated to Alfonso the XIII in Spain, who became king when he turned 16."

FUN SPAIN FACT OF THE DAY!