the tooth fairy

[Theseus]

How would this be translated into Greek? What in fact is the custom in Greece when a child loses its milk tooth? I have heard about throwing one's tooth onto the tiles of the roof of the house with the words:-”I give you my old tooth so bring me a new one”.
For more information see at http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2170/whats-the-origin-of-the-tooth-fairy.

 

[drsiebenmal]

You're right, Theseus. That was/is the custom:

[...] και κάποια στιγμή ακούω τον γιο μου να μου λέει: Αμάν βρε μαμά, πως κάνεις έτσι;;;; Να το το δόντι μου!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Και μου το έδωσε στο χέρι! Το έβγαλε μόνος του!!!! Ηταν ενθουσιασμένος, ανεβήκαμε στην ταράτσα και Ω ΝΑΙ κοντά μας έχει ένα σπίτι με κεραμίδια ακόμα! Το πετάξαμε εκεί λοιπόν και είπαμε το τραγουδάκι: Να ποντικέ το δόντι μου και δος μου σιδερένιο, να ροκανίζω κόκαλα – να τρώω παξιμάδια!!! [...]

From a comment by Maria, 12.04.2011, here: Πού πάνε τα πρώτα δοντάκια όταν πέφτουν;

However, with tile roof houses disappearing from the cities and under the influence of TV etc, the tooth fairy has an increasing role...

 

[daeman]

In another parents' forum (mostly mothers', since it's usually their duty to maintain and pass on tradition in such matters) you'll find more traditional ditties and different customs from various places around Greece, with crows, pigs etc., e.g.:

Πάρε κουρούνα το δόντι μου και δώσ' μου σιδερένιο, να ροκανάω τα μύγδαλα, να τρώω τα παξιμάδια

although I remember from my childhood days in Crete my grandmother saying it more or less as the one above, a bit more rhythmical and with a mouse though (Να, ποντικέ, το δόντι μου / και δώσ' μου σιδερένιο / να κουκαλίζω* μύγδαλα / να τρώω παξιμάδια) like the one Dr7x posted. Also, I vaguely remember that we were supposed to keep it under our pillow (to sleep on it) the whole night, before throwing it onto the roof tiles the next morning, and that whoever saw it first - our grandfather, very often - was required to give us a coin.

*κουκαλίζω: gnaw, nibble

Where I live, tiled roofs are the norm even in apartment buildings, and in all fairyness I must admit that we've kept the custom for the first few teeth of our kids, to their amusement and ours.


For a different take on the Tooth Fairy and other fairytales, there's always Terry Pratchett's Hogfather - full of teeth, children's and otherwise; the Grim Reaper's most notably - in which Death must play the role of Santa, lest the world comes to an end along with childish beliefs, i.e. imagination (available on youtube, too).

 

[Palavra]

I know of the same custom in Greece, with the tiles and mouse, that is (Να ποντικέ το δόντι μου και δώσ' μου το δικό σου, να τραγανίζω κόκαλα, να τρώω παξιμάδια), but my grandma was from Crete, too, so I don't know if it's widespread. :)

 

[SBE]

No poems in my case, but I remember my grandparents telling me to put the tooth under my pillow and to throw it on the roof the next day. Alas, no roof tiles in our case.