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Once Upon a Time

'''' is a stock phrase traditionally used to introduce fairy tales, folk tales, and other narratives of past events. The expression dates back to at least the late in and became popularized through collections like those of the in the . This article explores the phrase's origin, etymology, and usage in , as well as notable titles and works incorporating '''' in film and television, literature, music, and other media.

The Phrase

Origin and Etymology

The phrase "once upon a time" emerged in Middle English as a formulaic opening for narratives, with its earliest recorded variant, "once on a time," appearing in the late 14th century. This form denoted a singular occurrence in the distant past, drawing from the adverb "once" meaning "one time" combined with prepositional phrases like "on a time" to evoke timelessness. A notable early example occurs in Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales (c. 1387–1400), where "ones on a tyme" introduces the Knight's Tale, marking its use in literary storytelling. Its development traces to oral traditions in , where such phrases served to transport listeners into a mythical era detached from everyday reality. The English expression evolved alongside continental influences, particularly through the French "il était une fois" ("there was once"), which first gained prominence in printed form in Perrault's Histoires ou contes du temps passé (). This collection of tales standardized the opener in written , and its 1729 English translation by Robert Samber directly rendered it as "once upon a time," facilitating the phrase's adoption in Anglo-European narrative conventions. Broader influences stem from Indo-European oral traditions, where analogous locutions—such as the "es war einmal" ("it was once") or the "c'era una volta" ("there was once")—signaled the onset of folk narratives, emphasizing a bygone, enchanted . These patterns, preserved across languages like Danish "der var engang," reflect shared cultural mechanisms for framing tales in pre-modern . The phrase's first prominent printed appearances in English fairy tale collections occurred in the late , notably in Lang's Fairy Books series, beginning with The Blue Fairy Book (1889), which compiled global folktales using "" as a consistent introductory device. Its standardization in was further advanced through English adaptations of the Brothers Grimm's tales, such as Taylor's 1823 of German Popular Stories, where the "es war einmal" was rendered equivalently, embedding the phrase deeply in Anglophone literary tradition.

Usage in Storytelling

The phrase "once upon a time" serves as a paratextual signal in storytelling, marking the onset of a fairy tale or fictional narrative and establishing its genre affiliation by evoking traditional structures with archetypal characters and resolutions. This introductory formula creates a temporal and ontological distance from contemporary reality, inviting audiences to suspend disbelief and engage with imaginative worlds through "experience-taking," where listeners mentally adopt narrative perspectives to facilitate immersion. In folklore studies, it functions as an initial situational marker, setting the stage for archetypal journeys as outlined in Vladimir Propp's analysis of folktale morphology, where it precedes functions like villainy or interdiction to signal the tale's departure from everyday logic. Across cultures, equivalents to "once upon a time" adapt this signaling role to local narrative conventions, framing tales as distant or hypothetical to cue moral or didactic elements. In Spanish-language storytelling, "Érase una vez" (there was once) initiates fairy tales similarly, while French uses "Il était une fois" (it was once) to denote a legendary past. Non-Western traditions feature variations like the Yoruba declaration "Here is a story! Story it is," which directly invokes communal participation, or the Arabic "There was and there was not," blending existence and absence to underscore ambiguity in folklore. In Urdu folklore, phrases such as "Ek baar ki baat hai" (it happened once) or "Kisi zamane mein" (in some era) perform an analogous function, transporting listeners to a timeless realm for ethical exploration. These openings universally signal the tale's conventionality, aligning with cultural expectations for structured narratives that resolve through moral equilibrium. Psychologically, such openings prime audiences for empathetic engagement by activating brain regions associated with , including the insula and , fostering neural synchronization between storyteller and listener that enhances emotional processing and behavioral influence. In folklore contexts, this cue signals impending moral lessons, allowing safe exploration of archetypes like heroism or cautionary , as tales often embed ethical teachings within their resolved plots to reinforce cultural values without direct . Propp's morphology further illustrates this by positioning the phrase as the prelude to transformative functions, where audiences anticipate journeys that model societal norms through symbolic trials and triumphs.

Film and Television

Films

"Der var engang" (), a 1922 Danish silent fantasy romance directed by , features a spoiled princess who rejects all suitors until she encounters a gypsy musician, revealed to be a prince in disguise, leading to a tale of and magical revelation set in a mythical past. Adapted from Holger Drachmann's 1883 play inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Swineherd," the film emphasizes romantic transformation and national-romantic themes, marking an early highlight in Dreyer's career with its lyrical visuals and intertitles. In 1944, the American comedy-fantasy film Once Upon a Time, directed by Alexander Hall, stars Cary Grant as Jerry Flynn, a cash-strapped Broadway producer who promotes a young boy's pet caterpillar, Curly, as a dancing sensation to revive his failing theater. Based on the radio play "My Client Curley" by Samson Raphaelson, the production unfolds in a whimsical New York setting, blending screwball humor with fantastical elements like the caterpillar's improbable stardom, offering wartime escapism through its lighthearted plot involving publicity stunts and romantic subplots with Janet Blair. The 1950 Spanish animated Érase una vez (Once Upon a Time), directed by José Escobar and Alexandre Cirici, presents a whimsical adaptation of Charles Perrault's Cinderella, where a mistreated girl undergoes magical transformations aided by a fairy godmother to attend a royal ball and win a prince's heart. Produced by Estela Films, the film employs hand-drawn animation to evoke fairy tale enchantment, focusing on themes of perseverance and destiny in a feature-length runtime of approximately 70 minutes that highlights creative visual storytelling during post-Civil War era cinema. Once Upon a Time... When We Were Colored (1995), an American period drama directed by , chronicles the childhood memories of Clifton Taulbert growing up in the segregated Black community of Glen Allan, Mississippi, during the and 1950s. Adapted from Taulbert's 1989 memoir of the same name, the film portrays the resilience of African American families amid , emphasizing communal bonds, everyday joys, and subtle acts of resistance through a featuring , , and Damon Hines as Cliff at 16. Produced independently, it highlights the cultural richness of Southern Black life while addressing racial injustices without overt confrontation, earning praise for its heartfelt depiction of historical context.

Television Series

The American fantasy adventure drama series Once Upon a Time premiered on ABC on October 23, 2011, and concluded on May 18, 2018, after seven seasons totaling 156 episodes. Created by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, both former writers on Lost, the show centers on Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison), a cynical bail bondsman whose life changes when her biological son Henry (Jared Gilmore) brings her to Storybrooke, Maine—a town where fairy tale characters live under an amnesia-inducing curse cast by the Evil Queen (Lana Parrilla). The narrative weaves dual timelines: flashbacks to the Enchanted Forest depicting iconic figures like Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin), Prince Charming (Josh Dallas), and Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle) in their original realms, contrasted with present-day Storybrooke events involving curse-breaking, family reunions, and battles against dark forces. Key themes include the power of belief, found family, and redemption, with later seasons introducing time travel, alternate realities, and crossovers from realms like Neverland and Camelot, blending elements from classic fairy tales, mythology, and literature. The series received praise for its imaginative world-building and character development, though some critics noted narrative complexity in later installments; it averaged 7.7 million viewers in its first season and garnered multiple Saturn Award nominations. Executive produced by Kitsis and Horowitz, it was filmed primarily in Vancouver, British Columbia, and featured guest appearances from stars like Sean Maguire as Captain Hook and Emilie de Ravin as Belle. A direct spin-off, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, aired on ABC from October 10, 2013, to April 3, 2014, spanning one season of 13 episodes. Co-created by Kitsis, Horowitz, Zack Estrin, and Jane Espenson, the series shifts focus to Alice (Sophie Lowe), who returns from Wonderland to Victorian England only to be committed to an asylum for her "delusions"; rescued by the White Rabbit (John Lithgow voicing the animated character), she ventures back to save her genie love interest Cyrus (Peter Gadiot) from the tyrannical Jafar (Naveen Andrews). Drawing from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, it incorporates steampunk aesthetics, magical artifacts like the Vorpal Blade, and alliances with characters such as the Knave of Hearts (Michael Socha) and the Red Queen (Barbara Hershey), while tying into the parent series through shared mythology and crossovers like the Cheshire Cat. Produced by ABC Studios in Vancouver, the show emphasized high-stakes adventure and romance amid Wonderland's chaotic landscapes, earning a 6.9/10 rating on IMDb and acclaim for its visual effects and standalone storytelling, despite cancellation after one season due to moderate ratings of around 4 million viewers per episode.

Literature

Books and Novellas

"Once Upon a Time in the North" is a 2008 novella by British author Philip Pullman, serving as a prequel to his acclaimed His Dark Materials trilogy. Set in an alternate version of the 1930s Arctic, the story introduces the aeronaut Lee Scoresby, a young Texan balloonist, who arrives in the northern town of Novy Odense amid rising tensions between human settlers and armored polar bears. Scoresby becomes entangled in a plot involving a villainous politician, a downed airship, and the noble bear Iorek Byrnisson, forging a pivotal alliance that shapes events in the larger series. The novella explores themes of friendship, honor, and resistance against injustice, blending adventure with Pullman's signature philosophical undertones on free will and authority. Published by David Fickling Books in the UK and in the , the book features intricate engravings by artist John Lawrence, enhancing its steampunk-infused world-building with visual motifs of balloons, bears, and icy landscapes. A includes a fold-out map of the fictional and a removable , "Peril of the Pole," adding interactive elements to the experience. Pullman's prose captures the rugged camaraderie of life while hinting at the metaphysical elements central to , such as and parallel worlds. The novella, approximately 100 pages long, received praise for its concise yet evocative storytelling, with critics noting its role in expanding the trilogy's lore without overshadowing the main saga.

Magazines and Periodicals

Once Upon a Time was a British children's comic magazine published weekly by City Magazines (later IPC Magazines) from 15 February 1969 to 1972, comprising 167 issues. Aimed at young readers aged approximately 5 to 9, it featured original stories, adaptations of classic fairy tales, puzzles, educational articles on history and , and colorful illustrations to promote and imagination. The publication emphasized moral lessons and adventure narratives, similar to contemporaries like , and was noted for its high-quality artwork by prominent British illustrators. It ceased in 1972 amid industry consolidations, but remains collectible for its charming, period-specific content.

Music

Albums

Several music albums titled Once Upon a Time have been released across various genres, often drawing on the phrase's narrative connotations to frame their thematic content. These works span , pop, and rock, providing overviews of artistic visions through song selections and production styles. The Kingston Trio's 1969 album Once Upon a Time is a double live recording captured at the Tahoe Hotel in , , featuring acoustic interpretations of traditional and contemporary tunes. The album includes covers such as "The ," a haunting ballad originally by Danny Dill and , alongside originals like "Tijuana Jail" by Denny Thompson, emphasizing the group's signature close-harmony style and storytelling approach. Released on Records, it marked a later chapter in the trio's career amid shifting landscapes. Donna Summer's 1977 pop album is a double-disc concept record structured as a modern fairy tale, produced by and Pete Bellotte for . Blending rhythms with orchestral elements, it features tracks like the upbeat "Why You Do the Things You Do" and the ballad "," which reached No. 37 on the , alongside narrative-driven songs such as " High" and "." The album's packaging and elements reinforced its storytelling arc, contributing to Summer's status as the "Queen of " during the genre's peak. Simple Minds' 1985 album captured the Scottish band's arena-rock evolution, produced by and the group for (A&M in the ). Infused with anthemic synths and guitars, it includes rootsy yet polished tracks like "" and "Ghostdancing," blending influences with stadium-ready hooks that echoed broader cultural narratives of the . The self-reflective opens the record, setting a tone of wistful amid the band's commercial breakthrough. Tiwa Savage's 2013 pop album debuted the Nigerian artist's solo career on , co-written and produced with collaborators including and Spellz, fusing , R&B, and pop sensibilities. Highlighted by orchestral-tinged tracks like "Kele Kele Love" and "Love Me Love Me Love Me," it explores romance and empowerment through vibrant, danceable arrangements, establishing Savage as a leading voice in African pop. Released amid the rise of globally, the album's 21 tracks showcased her versatile vocal delivery and thematic depth. Rapper released a album titled Once Upon a Time in 2023 on , reflecting on personal growth and Atlanta's music scene through introspective lyrics and trap-influenced production.)

Songs

"Once Upon a Time" has served as a title for several notable songs across musical genres, frequently drawing on themes of , storytelling, and romance. The 1962 show tune "Once Upon a Time," from the musical All American, features music by and lyrics by Lee Adams. Introduced and popularized by actor in the role of the protagonist's father, the ballad wistfully reflects on the passage of time and lost youth. A cover by in 1962 became a hit, reaching No. 31 on the Hot 100.) In the disco era, released "" in 1977 as the opening track and title song of her double of the same name, produced by and Pete Bellotte. The track sets a fairy-tale narrative akin to , evoking nostalgic romance through spoken-word introduction and soaring vocals amid orchestral arrangements. "Once Upon a Time" is also the title of a 1964 duet by Marvin Gaye and Mary Wells, written by Jack Goga and Eddie Holland and produced by Smokey Robinson for Motown Records. The soulful track laments a lost romance and peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100.)

Other Uses

Games

The storytelling card game Once Upon a Time was first published in 1993 by Atlas Games and designed by Richard Lambert, Andrew Looney, Mike Selinker, and Phil Foglio. In this collaborative game for 2 to 6 players aged 8 and up, participants draw from a deck of over 200 cards depicting fairy tale elements such as characters, settings, objects, and plot twists to cooperatively construct a narrative, with each player aiming to guide the story toward their personal "Happy Ever After" ending card while using Interrupt cards to seize narrative control from others. The gameplay emphasizes improvisation and creativity, typically lasting 30-45 minutes per session, and has been praised for fostering group storytelling without a strict winner, though the player who fulfills their ending first claims victory. The game has seen multiple editions and expansions to enhance replayability. The second edition, released in 2003, introduced full-color artwork, linen-finish cards, and blank cards for custom elements, while simplifying some rules for broader accessibility. The third edition in 2012 incorporated content from prior expansions like Dark Tales into the base set, adding 55 new cards including villains and ominous twists, and was reprinted in subsequent years including the 2020s with minor updates for durability. Notable expansions include Adventures in Neverland (1996), which integrates Peter Pan-inspired elements; Take from the Bag (1995), allowing random card draws for unpredictability; and Picture Tales (1995), featuring illustrated scene cards to visually guide stories. These additions have sustained the game's popularity, with ongoing availability through Atlas Games. Among video games bearing the title Once Upon a Time, the 1991 educational adventure Once Upon a Time: Abracadabra!, developed and published by Coktel Vision for MS-DOS, Amiga, and Atari ST, stands out as an early entry in interactive fairy tale experiences. Targeted at children aged 8-10, it follows a young protagonist navigating a magical world to recover a stolen bracelet from an ogre, solving point-and-click puzzles involving spells, objects, and logic challenges while exploring enchanted locations like forests and castles to learn basic problem-solving and vocabulary. The game features hand-drawn animations and a non-linear structure, allowing multiple paths to completion in about 1-2 hours, and was part of Coktel Vision's broader Once Upon a Time series that included titles like Baba Yaga. Another notable video game is the 2017 point-and-click Once upon a time, developed by Eleonora Kameneva and published by NoodlyCat for Windows via . In this solo-player title, the protagonist—a young woman—discovers a magical book that transports her into its chapters, where she interacts with anthropomorphic animals and solves environmental puzzles to progress through hand-painted, storybook-style worlds inspired by classic tales. The narrative unfolds across five chapters emphasizing exploration and light narrative choices, with gameplay lasting 2-4 hours, and it received mixed reviews for its charming art but simple mechanics.

Documentaries and Non-Fiction

"Once Upon a Time in " is a five-part documentary miniseries that explores the U.S.-led invasion of and its aftermath through the personal testimonies of Iraqi civilians, soldiers, and survivors. Directed by and narrated by , the series premiered on in June 2020 and was later broadcast on PBS's Frontline . It features archival footage and interviews that highlight the human cost of the war, including episodes focusing on key events like the fall of and the rise of . The series received critical acclaim for its empathetic portrayal of Iraqi perspectives, earning a BAFTA Television Award for Best Factual Series in 2021. In a similar vein, "Once Upon a Time in ," directed by , is a 2023 five-part documentary series that recounts from the viewpoints of ordinary people who lived through the conflict. Produced by KEO North and broadcast on and , it uses home videos, interviews, and reenactments to depict events from the 1960s to the 1998 , emphasizing personal stories of loss and . The series won an International Emmy for Best Documentary in 2024 and was praised for humanizing a complex historical period. "Once Upon a Time in Uganda," a 2021 documentary directed by Cathryne Czubek and Hugo Berkeley, chronicles the rise of , an independent Ugandan film studio founded by self-taught director Isaac Godfrey Nabwana in the Wakaliga slum of . The film follows Nabwana's collaboration with American filmmaker Alan Hofmanis, showcasing low-budget action movies made with scavenged materials and community involvement, while addressing themes of creativity amid poverty. It premiered at DOC NYC and was distributed by Yellow Veil Pictures, earning a 95% approval rating on for its uplifting depiction of grassroots filmmaking. "," directed by Anabel Rodríguez Ríos, is a 2020 feature-length documentary that examines the decline of the lakeside village of Mirador amid 's political and economic crisis. Filmed over seven years and premiering at the , it contrasts the community's past prosperity from oil wealth with its present struggles against rising waters, corruption, and government neglect through the lives of residents like activist and elder . Selected as 's entry for the Best International Feature at the , the film highlights environmental and social displacement. Among works, "Once Upon a Tome: The Misadventures of a Rare Bookseller" (2020) by Oliver Darkshire is a humorous detailing the author's experiences at Henry Sotheran Ltd., London's oldest bookstore, founded in 1760. Darkshire recounts eccentric customers, rare book mishaps, and the quirky world of , blending wit with insights into literary history. Published by , it was lauded for its engaging narrative on the preservation of printed culture. "The Making of Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" (2025) by Jay Glennie is a comprehensive behind-the-scenes account of the 2019 film's , drawing on interviews with , , and Tarantino himself. It covers development, set recreations of 1969 , and the director's vision, serving as an official companion that illuminates Hollywood's collaborative artistry. Published by Titan Books, the book provides rare photos and anecdotes, appealing to enthusiasts. "Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy" (2024) by Elizabeth Beller is a biography exploring the life of the fashion publicist and wife of John F. Kennedy Jr., from her Calvin Klein career to her private struggles and tragic death in 1999. Drawing on interviews and archives, Beller portrays Bessette-Kennedy as a style icon navigating fame's pressures. Published by Simon & Schuster, it offers a nuanced view of 1990s celebrity culture and personal resilience.

Miscellaneous

In the late 1980s, Compu-Teach released Once Upon a Time, an designed for early computers such as the . This interactive tool allowed children to build narratives by writing text, drawing illustrations with simple graphics, and assembling their creations into printable "books," thereby teaching fundamental concepts of , , and creative expression. The was praised for its user-friendly interface that encouraged young users to explore in a digital environment, making it a popular choice in schools during the era of personal computing adoption. Public art installations titled Once Upon a Time have incorporated the phrase to evoke narrative themes, such as Ailene Fields' 2020 bronze sculptures Once Upon a Time and The Frog Prince, temporarily installed at in from December 2019 to August 2020, which depict characters to engage passersby in urban spaces with elements of wonder and tradition. Similarly, contemporary works like Li Wei's Fairy Tales, Once Upon a Time (2019–2020), a mixed-media installation using silicone and human hair to reimagine motifs, have appeared in gallery and public settings to blend fantasy with modern artistic critique. These pieces highlight how the phrase serves as a to imaginative in visual form. Annual storytelling festivals named or themed Once Upon a Time occur in various cities, emphasizing oral traditions, community participation, and the preservation of folk narratives through live performances. For example, StoryMasters' Once Upon A Time LA, held in since at least the early as part of the Tellabration tradition, features professional tellers sharing tales to foster intergenerational connections and cultural exchange. These events often include workshops and open mics, drawing crowds to celebrate the timeless art of spoken stories in local venues. The phrase "" permeates broader cultural usage as a conventional opener for fables and narratives, symbolizing the onset of imaginative journeys across , , and oral traditions.

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