Decoder Ring: Who Owns the Tooth Fairy?
We pride ourselves on being grounded, rational beings, but flitting amongst us is a mystery: the Tooth Fairy. This flying piece of folklore is alive and well in the 21st century, handed down to kids in whatever way their parents see fit.\xa0\nIn this episode, with the help of Tinkerbell, Santa Claus, and some savvy humans who are trying to exploit this strange creature\u2019s untapped intellectual property, we\u2019ll explore the origins of this childhood ritual, its durability\u2014and its remarkable resistance to commercialization.\xa0\nThis podcast was written by Willa Paskin, who produces Decoder Ring with Katie Shepherd. This episode was edited by Jamie York.\xa0Derek John is Slate\u2019s executive producer of narrative podcasts. Merritt Jacob is our senior technical director.\nThank you to Charles Duan, Jim Piddock, Purva Merchant, Hannah Morris, Laurie Leahy, Torie Bosch, and Rebecca Onion. Also, a big tip of the hat to Rosemary Wells, the dental school instructor who in the 1970s began exploring the Tooth Fairy\u2019s, ahem, roots . Much of Wells\u2019 work is out of print, but you can find one of her pieces in a collection called The Good People: New Fairylore Essays.\nIf you haven\u2019t please yet, subscribe and rate our feed in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And even better, tell your friends.\nIf you\u2019re a fan of the show, sign up for Slate Plus. You\u2019ll be able to listen to Decoder Ring without any ads\u2014and your support is crucial to our work. Go to www.slate.com/decoderplus to join Slate Plus today.\nDecoder Ring is now available on YouTube. Listen here: https://slate.trib.al/ucMyTst\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices