Who needs the Tooth Fairy when you’ve got Perez the Mouse?

In many parts of the world, when a child loses a tooth,  if it is placed under the child’s pillow,  the Tooth Fairy will collect and replace it with cold, hard cash. (The going rate is almost $4 according to the Associated Press Big Story.)

In Hispanic countries, a tradition that got a royal start in 1894 continues today. According to “Ten Weird Facts About Teeth” compiled by Gregory Myers at ListVerse.com, in Spain when the king’s son lost his first tooth, the king enlisted a priest named Luis Coloma write a story for the boy. The priest created the character “Ratoncito Perez,” also known as Perez the Mouse. The story  is still beloved by Hispanic children. The English translation is here.

Read more at ListVerse.com.