Wikipedia has a good article on fairy tales. Among other things, it says that no one set of meanings can be ascribed, and that the Brothers Grimm and others toned down the sexual themes and upped the violence in the tales.
and the article on the tooth fairy says it's a House Elf! and also says:
Quote:
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The Tooth Fairy is an example of folklore mythology sometimes presented to children as fact. Other prominent examples are Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny.The realization or discovery that such stories are make-believe is considered a part of the child's growing up. Such realizations can also cause significant emotional pain in some children due to feelings of betrayal, while other children regard it as a small matter or are proud of themselves for having unmasked the truth. Many adults remember clearly for their whole lives when and how they discovered the truth.
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