This night is a special night

This night is a special night
As fairies dance upon the roof
All the fairies must alight
For Phoebe has lost a tooth

The fairy queen gives her commands
Twelve bright fairies must join hands
Then together in a circle stand
To guard Phoebe while she sleeps

The tooth fairy into the circle leaps
The hidden tooth she takes
Ah, she has very far to go
Before Phoebe awakes

Three times around the world she flies
Over valleys deep and mountains high
Skirts the storm clouds thick with thunder
Wings over waves all wild with wonder

Deep within their earthly home
Finally she finds the gnomes
Who upon the tooth must work
Never once their duty shirk

Some are hammering, hammering
Some the bellows blow
Others sweat at the sweltering forge
And cry out “heave-ho!”

The tooth has been turned to a shining stone
A glimmering, glowing gem
The tooth fairy takes the gnomes good gift
And curtsied to all of them

Before the sun’s first rays are shown
She returns to Phoebe’s bed
Puts the gift beneath her head
And then– away she’s flown!

Eugene Schwartz