Once upon a time…there was a little girl. Once upon a time…there was a little boy. Once upon a time, we heard a story or paged through a book or were tucked into bed at night thinking about once upon a time.
But where did “once upon a time” begin?
Maybe you heard the phrase in a Brothers Grimm fairy tale, or a retelling of a Brothers Grimm fairy tale, or on the big screen…in “Sleeping Beauty” or “Snow White.”
As “Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters,” the latest Grimm re-telling, hits the big screen, we look at where it all began with Maria Tatar, editor and translator of the new “Annotated Brothers Grimm.” Tatar is also chair of the committee on degrees in folklore and mythology at Harvard University.
The article you just read is free because dedicated readers and listeners like you chose to support our nonprofit newsroom. Our team works tirelessly to ensure you hear the latest in international, human-centered reporting every weekday. But our work would not be possible without you. We need your help. Make a gift today to help us raise $25,000 by the end of the month and keep The World going strong. Every gift will be matched 2:1!