Once Upon a Time: Difference between revisions

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{{trope}}{{cleanup|It is not necessary to boldface ''every single'' example's version of the trope.}}

[[File:once.jpg|link=The Princess Bride (film)|right]]

{{quote|''We don't need lists of rights and wrongs, tables of do's and don'ts: we need books, time, and silence. '[[An Aesop|Thou shalt not]]' is soon forgotten, but 'Once Upon a Time' lasts forever.''|'''[[Philip Pullman]]'''}}

Once upon a time there was a [[Trope]]. This trope was a [[Stock Phrase]] and a [[Older Than Print|very old one]]. In fact, according to Webster's, it goes back at least to 1380. It began almost every [[Fairy Tale]] there ever was.

'''Once upon a time''' there was a [[Trope]]. This trope was a [[Stock Phrase]] and a [[Older Than Print|very old one]]. In fact, according to Webster's, it goes back at least to 1380. It began almost every [[Fairy Tale]] there ever was.

It was a [[Omnipresent Tropes|very popular trope]]. In [[Everything Sounds Sexier in French|French]] it was ''il était une fois'' and in [[Gratuitous German|German]] it was ''es war einmal'', which literally meant "It was once." Sometimes it was translated as "Once there was" or "A long time ago," but most often, this trope was simply translated as "[[Title Drop|Once upon a time]]." Other languages have translated it directly - Polish has ''"Raz na czasie"'', which is a literal translation and may have a bit of [[Blind Idiot Translation|blind idiot]] in there. Russian fairy tales often start ''"Zhyl-byl..."'', that is, "Once there lived...". The Japanese equivalent is むかしむかし（昔々''"mukashi mukashi"''), "long, long ago".

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For the book series, click [[Once Upon a Time (novel)|here]] and for the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] series, click [[Once Upon a Time (TV series)|here]].

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== Anime and Manga ==

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== Anime ==

* ''[[Princess Tutu]]'': The narrator begins each episode with the japanese equivalent of this, むかしむかし（昔々） or "mukashi mukashi". It's rather purposeful, since the show deals in Fairy Tale tropes.

* ''[[Revolutionary Girl Utena]]'' uses the same phrase in narrating several plot points, most notably the story of the Prince and the Witch and the story of the Princess who wanted to become a Prince.

== Card Games ==

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* There is a card game called "Once Upon A Time" revolving around storytelling. The stories always start with this.

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* [[Don McLean]]'s "American Pie":

{{quote|'''A long, long time ago'''

I can still remember... }}

''I can still remember... }}

** And [[Weird Al]]'s variant:

** And [["Weird Al" Yankovic]]'s variant:

***{{quote|'''A long, long time ago~~'''~~

***{{quote|''A long, long time ago

[[Star Wars| In a galaxy far away ...]] }}

''[[Star Wars|In a galaxy far away ...]] }}

* "Those Were the Days", recorded most memorably by Mary Hopkin:

{{quote|'''Once upon a time~~'''~~ there was a tavern

''{{quote|''Once upon a time there was a tavern

Where we used to raise a glass or two... }}

* "Fairytale" Sara Bareilles, mickey-taking every fairytale written with:

{{quote|'''Once upon a time~~'''~~ in a far away kingdom

{{quote|''Once upon a time in a far away kingdom

Man made up a story, said that I should believe him... }}

''Man made up a story, said that I should believe him... }}

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* Also from Poe, "Annabel Lee"

{{quote|'''It was many and many a year ago,'''

In a kingdom by the sea,

''In a kingdom by the sea,

That a maiden there lived whom you may know

''That a maiden there lived whom you may know

By the name of Annabel Lee; }}

''By the name of Annabel Lee... }}

== Tabletop Games ==

* In ''[[Exalted]]'', [[Koan]]s and sutras associated with the Sidereals inevitably begin this way: "'''Once, there was a maiden...'''"

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* There is a card game called "Once Upon A Time" revolving around storytelling. The stories always start with this.

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== ~~Webcomics~~ ==

== Web Comics ==

* In ''[[Sinfest]]'', [https://web.archive.org/web/20140209165735/http://sinfest.net/archive_page.php?comicID=3636 Baby Blue begins her story to the damned with it.]

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* The animated feature ''[[Twice Upon a Time (1983 film)|Twice Upon a Time]]'' uses this phrase in its opening narration.

* ''[[Shrek]]'' appeared to use this trope at first, but lampshaded it and used it as toilet paper.

* One episode of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' is called "Once Upon a Time in Springfield".

* One episode of ''[[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]'' is called "Once Upon a Time in Springfield".

* ''[[My Little Pony: ~~Friendship Is Magic|My Little Pony~~ Friendship Is Magic]]'' begins its very first episode with a narration from Princess Celestia. "Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria..."

* ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic]]'' begins its very first episode with a narration from Princess Celestia. "Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria..."