REFLECTIONS: The tooth and rat business

Just the other day, my niece removed her tooth and after three days, she came to me smiling. I asked why she was so happy. She said, “auntie, the rat gave me a lot of money.” I asked how much it was. She only said it was too much but sadly she could not count it. One thing for sure is she promised to buy me a car. Later, I realised it was just Shs500 in denominations of Shs100 coins. The little girl feels she is on top of the world. She is looking towards the next time she will remove the other teeth. She has begun eating “hard” food like hard corns so as make her teeth weak. I do not know whether these corns are working, but somehow she keeps telling us that one of her teeth is shaking.

I found it really interesting how the rat story has been consistent throughout generations. So while talking to my mother, I brought it up. I told her about my niece and expressed my sarcastic interest in those rats that never ran broke. She laughed and asked me what I thought. Yes, I told her I think those are two big rats. The fattest rats I have ever known. She laughed and said, “the day you solve the riddle of what kind of rats exchange money for children’s teeth, they may never visit your child.” She used a rather serious tone.
Growing up, learnt from one of my aunts that it is a gimmick by parents. But at this age, mother was still talking me into believing that it is a real rat that exchanges teeth for money. I did ask a few of my friends what they thought about the old riddle.

Doreen 23, told me of an interesting scenario. One of her brothers’ children was given Shs10, 000 in denominations of Shs500. I thought to myself how rats had stepped up their game lately. I quickly asked her what this child’s reaction was. She said, “The child seemed less interested in the money. He does even not know how to count it. He was simply told to keep the money in his piggy bank.” At this point I learnt one other thing. The rats in Muyenga are different from those in Kamwokya.

Maryanne 25, also a mother of two told me that seeing children grow from one stage to another is so interesting. “I guess one parent introduced that riddle a long time ago so as to create an everlasting childhood memory in everyone’s life,” she said, adding, “sometimes children are so naughty that such things are used to tame them. For example, when they make a lot of noise or cry at night, you are quick to remind them that the rat will hear them and will not come. Since you have raised their expectations, they will definitely do what you ask them.”Aeron 31, says that it is a women’s affair. The women tell the stories to the children. I guess they are the ones who put the money.

anafula@ug.nationmedia.com