Conference noted::sf

    Well, decades ago when I worked in a public library, I ran across
    a children's book about the Tooth Fairy.  I don't remember the title.
    What I DO remember is:
    
    1) As per standard, she steals into children's bedrooms and takes
       their teeth out from under their pillows, leaving small
       denominations of money in return.
    
    2) She lives in a house made of collected teeth and strings the
       teeth into necklaces and bracelets, etc. and is generally crazy
       over craft items made with teeth.
    
    3) She comes by her tooth fixation because she herself doesn't have
       any.  Her greatest hope is to grow some someday.
    
    I recommend you check out the catalog in the children's room of
    your local library, under "Tooth Fairy."  The librarians will be
    happy to do this for you if you would rather just call from the
    office.
    
    Earl Wajenberg

My wife and I have a collection of dozens of teeth from our four children, 
including one made of paper (which my son placed under his pillow, with an 
explanation to the "tooth fary" that he had lost the original, and he hoped 
she wouldn't mind the substitute). Having once done some scrimshaw on an 
actual sperm whale's tooth, I've often fantasized about doing some micro-
scrimshaw on one of my kid's teeth. Trouble is, they have a tendancy of 
splitting very cleanly in half for some unknown reason after a number of 
years. Maybe they would make nice "charms" for a necklace?  :^)

Dave

    (re -.1) Sounds great...and we can include leftover appendixes in
    little jars and old fingernails and maybe gall stones and...
    
    (I've never understood why people hold on to unneeded body parts
    -- I had surgery once on a toe which required a silver wire "installed"
    fro several months while things healed.  My doctors/nurses were
    actually shocked that I didn't want the "souvenier" -- Yuch!)
    
    Anyhow, I second the idea of calling/visiting the children's section
    of the public library.  Also, you can check the folklore section
    of the adult non-fiction books.  I'm not sure about this, but I
    think the story of the tooth fairy is fairly new (as things folkloric
    go) and perhaps even pretty much based in the US.  (As opposed to
    older "fairies" based on myths and legends mostly from Europe.)
    If that's so, it may be more of an oral tradition than anything,
    and my opinion is you can add to that tradition in any way you like!
    
    (Shrewd parents have been known to include in the story they tell
    a piece about the fairy ONLY leaving one quarter, say, because she's
    tiny and can't carry more!  Precedents, you know!  Kids can lose
    a lot of teeth!!)
    
    Have fun!
    
    Sherry

    Re .3
    
    "I think the story of the tooth fairy is fairly new (as things folkloric
    go) and perhaps even pretty much based in the US. ...  If that's so,
    it may be more of an oral tradition than anything....'
    
    I see.  The TOOTH fairy is an ORAL tradition.  Very good.
    
    Earl Wajenberg