Story 2- Famous Faeries

    Juan was dazed and confused as he was walking back to his campsite. He wondered to himself, if he truly did just witness the sight of Tinker Bell. When he reached his campsite, he noticed along the side of his shelter were twenty perfect long, precut logs to make a raft. Now Juan knew that he truly did believe in fairies, because Tinker Bell has promised him that he if listened and believed that she would give a gift to him.
    Today Juan was not feeling well for his mouth was swollen in pain with a terrible toothache. He had broken his tooth while eating some of the nuts from the island about two nights ago. Juan knew that he had to go get more food and he also wanted to stop off in the cave to read again to take his mind off his toothache.
    Juan searched through his partial first aid kit and took some aspirin then he set off across the island to gather food. Juan finished gathering his food rations and then headed towards the cave to enjoy reading from the magical book. Juan had reached the cave and proceeded to walk in and find a good rock to sit down on.
    Juan picked up the book and turned right to the first story. Tinker Bell popped out and said to him, “No, Juan, you have listened to my story, it is time to proceed onto part two of the book.” Tinker Bell gave Juan a kiss on his cheek and said, "Good-bye and enjoy your story.”
    At that moment, Juan turned to the second story and an amazing white faerie came from the page in front of Juan. Juan looked up at the fairy with astonishment and tried to smile but his mouth was too swollen. “Hello, Juan, nice to meet you finally, Tinker Bell told me all about you. I am the Tooth Fairy from the land of Ireland. I am very happy that you came to visit me today for you truly are in need of me." Juan looked at her with glee in his eyes and he was about to give a tearful response when the Tooth Fairy gave a nod. "I know, Juan, you have a bad tooth and that is why you need to listen to my story and I will help you with your tooth and give you another gift for your raft.”
Artist: Steve ArmesLink             toothfairy

    Juan leaned back against the cave wall and proceeded to listen to the Tooth Fairy. "Juan, I began my life as a Fairy in Ireland in the year of man of 538." The Tooth Fairy was gently floating about the cave, while she continued on with her story. "My real name is Duv Laca, the queen of Fairy land in Ulster. I was married to the Fairy man Mongan, the king of Ulster. Mongan stole me back from the King of Leinster for making an awful bargain with him about me over some white cows. My Mongan was exiled to the Land of Man in the Hill of Uisneach of Ireland. This hill separated the land of Fairy and of man. Mongan made a bargain about me to the King of Leinster but his love for me consumed him, so he used his fairy powers for his own personal gain to steal me from the King of Leinster, so he had to leave the world of Fairy World. I had to stay in Hill of Uisneach in Fairy world to repent on behalf of my husband's misuse of fairy powers.
    The High Council of fairies condemned me to become the White Tooth Fairy for the children of the land of humans. The Council made me the Tooth Fairy, which meant I had to collect the lost teeth of children so that the Black Hag could not harm them. The Black Hag was an evil witch fairy that was exiled to the outer boundaries of Fairy Kingdoms. She defied the High Council and harmed another fairy creature. That is sometimes punishable by death, but they knew she had a black fairy heart so they just banished her to keep an eye over her. When she heard of my fate, she devised a plan to steal the teeth in hopes to turn the children evil or put a spell over the teeth in order to hex the ivory empire and the Council of Fairies for banishing her.
So I started collecting the teeth, for which I was supposed to leave some reward for the belief in me. I would leave a small loaf of the sweetest berry bread for each child, which would upset the cantankerous Old Black Hag. Each night I would fly around and sense the lost teeth buried either near the house or under a child’s bed. So I would collect them and bring them back to the High Council. The Council would take innocent children's teeth and continue building the fairy kingdom into an ivory empire.
    So I have been the Tooth Fairy for many centuries now. The High Council saw that I did my fairy duty and they gave the reward of passing my gift on to other fairy apprentices. However, I continued with my duties and now I am Queen of Tooth Fairies. I have collected oh, so many teeth but nowadays humans do not believe in me, so I rely on the parents of the children to help me collect the teeth. The Black Hag is much older now, but I do not want to lack in my duty, for one day she will see my weakness and could turn the children against me and I will surely die for good.
     “Juan, I remember collecting all of your teeth. The council made me a beautiful cottage for my fairy workshop. Now look, I am going to get another tooth of yours. This tooth of yours will be very special. The Council gives special rewards for adult teeth. Maybe this could mean that I can finally step down and retire my duties onto my eldest daughter Duv Olive to be the next Tooth Fairy. The Tooth Fairy told Juan to open his mouth while waving her hand and out popped Juan’s bad tooth. Juan looked at the beautiful Tooth Fairy and told her in a soft voice, “Thank you, Duv Laca. My pain has subsided.” Then the Tooth Fairy told Juan, “Since you gave me a gift, I bestow on you another gift to make your raft. You will find your gift back at your shelter. Now go on and promise to never let your children or their children stop believing in the Tooth Fairy.”

Original Story: http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/ift/ift09.htm "Mongan's Frenzy" Published by James Stephens in 1920-Irish Fairy Tales http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/ift/index.htm.