What was the first use of the phrase “Happily Ever After”?
Fairy tales and children's stories often end with some variation of "...and they lived happily ever after." I was wondering who first decided to use this wording, or when it was first written down.
The Phrase Finder is an excellent resource for phrase origins, but while someone posed this exact question in 2009, it doesn't seem to have an answer. So what was the first written instance of "happily ever after"?
history-of fairy-tales
asked 3 hours ago
PlutoThePlanetPlutoThePlanet
4,69821341
add a comment |
Fairy tales and children's stories often end with some variation of "...and they lived happily ever after." I was wondering who first decided to use this wording, or when it was first written down.
The Phrase Finder is an excellent resource for phrase origins, but while someone posed this exact question in 2009, it doesn't seem to have an answer. So what was the first written instance of "happily ever after"?
history-of fairy-tales
asked 3 hours ago
PlutoThePlanetPlutoThePlanet
4,69821341
It goes back a good few centuries so finding the likely first use is going to be difficult. Even 1700s usages I've seen act like it was common.
– TheLethalCarrot
2 hours ago
dictionary.com/e/slang/ever-after
– FuzzyBoots
2 hours ago
add a comment |
Fairy tales and children's stories often end with some variation of "...and they lived happily ever after." I was wondering who first decided to use this wording, or when it was first written down.
The Phrase Finder is an excellent resource for phrase origins, but while someone posed this exact question in 2009, it doesn't seem to have an answer. So what was the first written instance of "happily ever after"?
history-of fairy-tales
asked 3 hours ago
PlutoThePlanetPlutoThePlanet
4,69821341
Fairy tales and children's stories often end with some variation of "...and they lived happily ever after." I was wondering who first decided to use this wording, or when it was first written down.
The Phrase Finder is an excellent resource for phrase origins, but while someone posed this exact question in 2009, it doesn't seem to have an answer. So what was the first written instance of "happily ever after"?
history-of fairy-tales
history-of fairy-tales
asked 3 hours ago
PlutoThePlanetPlutoThePlanet
4,69821341
asked 3 hours ago
PlutoThePlanetPlutoThePlanet
4,69821341
asked 3 hours ago
PlutoThePlanetPlutoThePlanet
4,69821341
asked 3 hours ago
PlutoThePlanetPlutoThePlanet
4,69821341
asked 3 hours ago
PlutoThePlanetPlutoThePlanet
4,69821341
4,69821341
It goes back a good few centuries so finding the likely first use is going to be difficult. Even 1700s usages I've seen act like it was common.
– TheLethalCarrot
2 hours ago
dictionary.com/e/slang/ever-after
– FuzzyBoots
2 hours ago
add a comment |
It goes back a good few centuries so finding the likely first use is going to be difficult. Even 1700s usages I've seen act like it was common.
– TheLethalCarrot
2 hours ago
dictionary.com/e/slang/ever-after
– FuzzyBoots
2 hours ago
It goes back a good few centuries so finding the likely first use is going to be difficult. Even 1700s usages I've seen act like it was common.
– TheLethalCarrot
2 hours ago
It goes back a good few centuries so finding the likely first use is going to be difficult. Even 1700s usages I've seen act like it was common.
– TheLethalCarrot
2 hours ago
dictionary.com/e/slang/ever-after
– FuzzyBoots
2 hours ago
dictionary.com/e/slang/ever-after
– FuzzyBoots
2 hours ago
add a comment |
2 Answers
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I suspect that the Grimm Brothers are the source. Their 1812 story of Rapunzel ends like this (translated from German)
He led her into his kingdom, where he was received with joy, and for a long time they lived happily and satisfied.
One of the earliest instances I can find of the actual phrase "Happily Ever After" was in a short story entitled that, from the 1920 book, Limbo, although that isn't a fairy tale.
answered 18 mins ago
MachavityMachavity
24.8k575142
add a comment |
While it's not fantasy or science fiction, the earliest citation of that exact formula I've found is 1708 in Pierre Bayle's Miscellaneous Reflections, Occasion'd by the Comet which Appear'd in December 1680: Chiefly Tending to Explode Popular Superstitions. Written to a Doctor of the Sorbon:
'Twas confidently said, he who first laid hands on the Goddesses Image, was suddenly struck blind, and seiz'd with a Palsy in every Nerve. Augustus desiring to be satisfy'd of the Fact, was inform'd by an old Officer who fram'd the Story, not only that the Fellow was perfectly in good health, but had liv'd happily ever after on the Spoil of that Temple.
It may be worth noting that this is an English translation of a French work.
answered 7 mins ago
FuzzyBootsFuzzyBoots
91.1k12282434
add a comment |
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
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active
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I suspect that the Grimm Brothers are the source. Their 1812 story of Rapunzel ends like this (translated from German)
He led her into his kingdom, where he was received with joy, and for a long time they lived happily and satisfied.
One of the earliest instances I can find of the actual phrase "Happily Ever After" was in a short story entitled that, from the 1920 book, Limbo, although that isn't a fairy tale.
answered 18 mins ago
MachavityMachavity
24.8k575142
add a comment |
I suspect that the Grimm Brothers are the source. Their 1812 story of Rapunzel ends like this (translated from German)
He led her into his kingdom, where he was received with joy, and for a long time they lived happily and satisfied.
One of the earliest instances I can find of the actual phrase "Happily Ever After" was in a short story entitled that, from the 1920 book, Limbo, although that isn't a fairy tale.
answered 18 mins ago
MachavityMachavity
24.8k575142
add a comment |
I suspect that the Grimm Brothers are the source. Their 1812 story of Rapunzel ends like this (translated from German)
He led her into his kingdom, where he was received with joy, and for a long time they lived happily and satisfied.
One of the earliest instances I can find of the actual phrase "Happily Ever After" was in a short story entitled that, from the 1920 book, Limbo, although that isn't a fairy tale.
answered 18 mins ago
MachavityMachavity
24.8k575142
I suspect that the Grimm Brothers are the source. Their 1812 story of Rapunzel ends like this (translated from German)
He led her into his kingdom, where he was received with joy, and for a long time they lived happily and satisfied.
One of the earliest instances I can find of the actual phrase "Happily Ever After" was in a short story entitled that, from the 1920 book, Limbo, although that isn't a fairy tale.
answered 18 mins ago
MachavityMachavity
24.8k575142
edited 8 mins ago
answered 18 mins ago
MachavityMachavity
24.8k575142
answered 18 mins ago
MachavityMachavity
24.8k575142
answered 18 mins ago
MachavityMachavity
24.8k575142
24.8k575142
add a comment |
add a comment |
While it's not fantasy or science fiction, the earliest citation of that exact formula I've found is 1708 in Pierre Bayle's Miscellaneous Reflections, Occasion'd by the Comet which Appear'd in December 1680: Chiefly Tending to Explode Popular Superstitions. Written to a Doctor of the Sorbon:
'Twas confidently said, he who first laid hands on the Goddesses Image, was suddenly struck blind, and seiz'd with a Palsy in every Nerve. Augustus desiring to be satisfy'd of the Fact, was inform'd by an old Officer who fram'd the Story, not only that the Fellow was perfectly in good health, but had liv'd happily ever after on the Spoil of that Temple.
It may be worth noting that this is an English translation of a French work.
answered 7 mins ago
FuzzyBootsFuzzyBoots
91.1k12282434
add a comment |
While it's not fantasy or science fiction, the earliest citation of that exact formula I've found is 1708 in Pierre Bayle's Miscellaneous Reflections, Occasion'd by the Comet which Appear'd in December 1680: Chiefly Tending to Explode Popular Superstitions. Written to a Doctor of the Sorbon:
'Twas confidently said, he who first laid hands on the Goddesses Image, was suddenly struck blind, and seiz'd with a Palsy in every Nerve. Augustus desiring to be satisfy'd of the Fact, was inform'd by an old Officer who fram'd the Story, not only that the Fellow was perfectly in good health, but had liv'd happily ever after on the Spoil of that Temple.
It may be worth noting that this is an English translation of a French work.
answered 7 mins ago
FuzzyBootsFuzzyBoots
91.1k12282434
add a comment |
While it's not fantasy or science fiction, the earliest citation of that exact formula I've found is 1708 in Pierre Bayle's Miscellaneous Reflections, Occasion'd by the Comet which Appear'd in December 1680: Chiefly Tending to Explode Popular Superstitions. Written to a Doctor of the Sorbon:
'Twas confidently said, he who first laid hands on the Goddesses Image, was suddenly struck blind, and seiz'd with a Palsy in every Nerve. Augustus desiring to be satisfy'd of the Fact, was inform'd by an old Officer who fram'd the Story, not only that the Fellow was perfectly in good health, but had liv'd happily ever after on the Spoil of that Temple.
It may be worth noting that this is an English translation of a French work.
answered 7 mins ago
FuzzyBootsFuzzyBoots
91.1k12282434
While it's not fantasy or science fiction, the earliest citation of that exact formula I've found is 1708 in Pierre Bayle's Miscellaneous Reflections, Occasion'd by the Comet which Appear'd in December 1680: Chiefly Tending to Explode Popular Superstitions. Written to a Doctor of the Sorbon:
'Twas confidently said, he who first laid hands on the Goddesses Image, was suddenly struck blind, and seiz'd with a Palsy in every Nerve. Augustus desiring to be satisfy'd of the Fact, was inform'd by an old Officer who fram'd the Story, not only that the Fellow was perfectly in good health, but had liv'd happily ever after on the Spoil of that Temple.
It may be worth noting that this is an English translation of a French work.
answered 7 mins ago
FuzzyBootsFuzzyBoots
91.1k12282434
answered 7 mins ago
FuzzyBootsFuzzyBoots
91.1k12282434
answered 7 mins ago
FuzzyBootsFuzzyBoots
91.1k12282434
answered 7 mins ago
FuzzyBootsFuzzyBoots
91.1k12282434
91.1k12282434
add a comment |
add a comment |
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It goes back a good few centuries so finding the likely first use is going to be difficult. Even 1700s usages I've seen act like it was common.
– TheLethalCarrot
2 hours ago
dictionary.com/e/slang/ever-after
– FuzzyBoots
2 hours ago