when haystacks winnowed sieves, when genies played jereed in the old bathhouse, [when] fleas were barbers, [when] camels were town criers, [and when] I softly rocked my baby grandmother to sleep in her creaking cradle, there was/lived, in an exotic land, far, far away, a/an...* ∗ : This traditional opening phrase by the storyteller is rich with rhyming wordplays, tongue-twisters, as well as comedic and bizarre situational juxtapositions that are meant to draw listeners in, and set the stage for a whimsical, fantastical storyline. | Alternatively: | Lastly, three apples fell from the sky; one for our story's heroes, one for the person who told their tale, and one for those who listened and promise to share. And with that, they* all achieved their hearts' desires. Let us** now step up and settle into their thrones.*** Alternatively: Lastly, three apples fell from the sky; one for those who know to keep their inner child alive, one for those who know to listen and think before they act, and one for those who never lose the love and hope within their soul. And with that, they* all achieved their hearts' desires. Let us** now step up and settle into their thrones.*** ∗ : the protagonists of the story ∗∗: the listeners ∗∗∗: a common conclusory storytelling expression meaning "may we all share in their good fortune" |- ! scope="row" rowspan="2" | Ukrainian | () || Long, long time ago... | () | ...and they lived long and happily. |- | () | (In some kingdom, in some land) There lived, there was... | || |- ! scope="row" | Urdu | () بہت بہت سال پہلے۔۔۔ (Bohut bohut sal pehle...) | Once upon a time... Many many years ago... | Unknown || Unknown |- ! scope="row" | Vietnamese | || A long, long time ago... | ...và họ sống hạnh phúc mãi mãi về sau || ...and they live happily ever after |- !Yiddish |אַמאָל איז געווען אַ מעשׂה (Amol iz geven a mayse) |Once there was a story | | |- ! scope="row" | Welsh | || A long time ago... | Unknown || Unknown |} Modern variants Don McLean's "American Pie" begins with the phrase "A long, long time ago...". All of the Star Wars films, as well as several of the expanded universe novels, begin with the phrase "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away....". The