Country
Spain

Tale typology
Intercultural traditions

Age Suitability
5

Tale summary
In the story young Prince Buby loses his tooth and is visited by a small mouse. The mouse carries a red satchel that he uses to collect all the teeth. In their place he leaves a small amount of money. When Buby catches the mouse in the act, Ratón Pérez agrees to take him along on his evening’s work. During the course of the story, Pérez takes the prince to his home to meet his family and on an errand too collect a tooth in one of the poorer areas of town. Here the story takes on a moral message as the prince sees the miseries of the poor and understands that he must do more for the people of his country.

Educational potential / Learning Outcomes
The pupils will become more open towards the connection between human and animals
They will learn a bit of the Spain history
They will develop their motoric capacity

Full Plot
The origins of the Spanish tooth fairy go back to the 1890’s and a sickly young prince, Alfonso XIII. Alfonso was born after his father’s death in 1886 and thus was crown King of Spain upon his birth. Because a young child cannot rule, his mother Queen Maria Christina was appointed Regent and ruled in place of her son. In 1902, when Alfonso reached his sixteenth year, he assumed the crown and full control of the state. He remained King of Spain until April 14th, 1931 when the Second Spanish Republic was formed.
According to the story behind the creation of Ratóncito Pérez, young Prince Alfonso was a frail child and somewhat sickly. He was also deeply bothered when he began to lose his teeth. To assuage his fears the Queen called upon Father Luis Coloma, a popular writer of the era. In 1894, Coloma was contacted by the Queen and asked to write a story for the eight year-old Prince. Coloma set to work producing the tale of Ratón Pérez. In the story young Prince Buby (Alfonso XIII’s nickname) loses his tooth and is visited by a small mouse. The mouse carries a red satchel that he uses to collect all the teeth. In their place he leaves a small amount of money. When Buby catches the mouse in
the act, Ratón Pérez agrees to take him along on his evening’s work. During the course of the story, Pérez takes the prince to his home to meet his family (they live in a Huntley Biscuit box) and on an errand too collect a tooth in one of the poorer areas of town. Here the story takes on a moral message as the prince sees the miseries of the poor and understands that he must do more for the people of his country.

One Lesson Plan
PROCEDURAL INSTRUCTIONS
Introduction Activity: The teacher plays the video with the story of Ratoncito Perez. Guiding questions: What was the prince afraid to lose? What is the name of the new friend of the prince? What was the role of the mouse? Where the prince and Ratoncito Perez go together?
Main Activity: From time to time, Ratoncito Perez need help to reach all the children who lose their milk teeth. Draw the story of your first milk tooth lost and how the experience was for you.
Second part of the activity:
Afterwards you will show to the participants how to create their own mouse from paper. For this you need colourful paper, scissors,
Paper cone mouse
Step 1 You need a half circle and an oblong shaped pieces of paper.
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Step 2 Roll the half circle into a cone, leaving a small hole at the top of the cone, and tape it together. Cut a slit into the cone as pictured.
(Image attached below)

Step 3 Fold the oblong piece of paper in half and cut some ear shapes out of it. Push the ears into the slit

(Image attached below)

Step 4 Push the pipe cleaner through the hole in the cone, roll the end of it into a little ball for the nose and pull the pipe cleaner until the nose is sitting snuggly in place. Add eyes and any other features you may want on your mouse.

(Image attached below)