Once Upon a Time…

Once upon a time, I was curious about the phrase “once upon a time” (okay, I couldn’t resist). From a young age we hear those words at the start of so many fairy tales that they have become synonymous with that genre. My curiosity spurred me to do a little research.

The earliest use of the phrase is estimated to be around the year 1380. A series of words that can equate to “once upon a time” were found in Sir Ferumbras, a story written in the form of metric poetry. Since then, it has been commonly used to start both oral and written narratives.

Formulaic beginnings such as “once upon a time” have been utilized in multiple countries around the world for centuries. What might come as a surprise is that while the word “once” has appeared many times throughout history as a popular opening, the subsequent “upon a time” is not nearly as ubiquitous. For example, many of Grimm’s fairy tales have been recorded to start with just “Once…” or “There was once….”

Overall, the phrase “once upon a time” can be seen as a storytelling tool that is useful for quickly setting a story at an unspecified moment in the past. It’s associated with fairytales, fantasy, folktales, and fables (I promise I wasn’t trying to use alliteration here). It is a predictable opening that psychologically prepares the reader or listener for the story by inviting a vagueness that helps to open up his or her imagination to better connect with the tale to follow.

Fairy truly yours,

Grace W. Wong