Once upon a time

(كان يا ما كان،في قديم الزمان، وسالف العصر والأوان) (توتة توتة, خلصت الحدوتة) Êk je chilo raja... Amar kôthaṭi phurolo,Noṭe gachṭi muṛolo Êk deśe chilo... (Čiri – ik′a, lxini – ak′a, k′at′o – ik′a, p′k′vili – ak′a) A long time ago... / In the days of our ancestors / When men were men and women tended the kitchen (or) Once upon a time and once upon an era ... cross seven countries, through the sea of Operencia, through the glass mountains, where the curly-tailed pig delves (erte erte ertede, eshki zhuni bortede) ھەبوو نەبوو (ڕۆژێ لە ڕۆژان) Qesse ye mā be sar resid,kalāqe be xunaš naresid.

((V tridevyatom tsarstve, v tridesyatom gosudarstve) Zhil byl...) (i stali oni zhit' pozhivat', da dobra nazhivat') Некада давно...(Nekada davno...) Био једном један...(masc., Bio jednom jedan) Било једном једно...(neuter, Bilo jednom jedno) (láew túk kon gôr yòo dûay gan yàang mee kwaam sùk dtà-lòt bpai)

∗ : 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: Gökten üç elma düşmüş; birincisi, içindeki çocuğu yaşatmayı bilenlere, ikincisi, davranmadan önce dinleyip düşünenlere, üçüncüsü ise özündeki sevgiyi ve umudu hiç kaybetmeyenlere.

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.