Once upon a time

There was once a typical intro for fairy tales, legends and similar stories. It is used for several centuries and is therefore an indicator for this type of text become. The counterpart to this often forms the final phrase And if they are not dead, they still live today (or: And they lived happily ever after ).

Popular this phrase was mainly with the dissemination of the works of the Brothers Grimm and as a German translation of the Danish phrase in the works of Hans Christian Andersen. It is used both in the written language as well as in the spoken language, but nowadays usually perceived as archaic.

In other languages

It was once the corresponding phrase is also available in many other languages. Sometimes there are translations another language speaking works, others are original. Some are listed and translated where possible.