With regard to the story-telling approach to discipline...My mother told me that if I didn't brush my teeth that small birds and lizards would come in the night

With regard to the story-telling approach to discipline...My mother told me that if I didn't brush my teeth that small birds and lizards would come in the night and eat the sugar off my teeth, but also accidentally eat some of the enamel and eventually I would be left with blackened triangular stumps. That worked pretty well and retained surprising effectiveness even after I was absolutely clear that no such thing would happen.