Yeki Bud Yeki Nabud is a celebrated collection of short stories written in 1921 by Mohammad Ali Jamalzadeh

Mohammad Ali Jamalzadeh

Mohammad-Ali Jamālzādeh Esfahani , was one of the most prominent writers of Iran in the 20th century, best known for his unique style of humour...

. Its publication made Jamalzadeh a major figure in the Persian literature.

The literal translation of the phrase Yeki Bud Yeki Nabud (Once Upon a Time) is One Was There And One Was Not There, or There Was One And There Wasn't One, alluding to an indefinite time and place. Opening a story by Yeki Bud Yeki Nabud prepares the hearers (especially those of very young age) or readers that what they are about to hear or read is not necessarily true. Many may agree with the writer of these lines, that hearing the words Yeki Bud Yeki Nabud immediately creates a very warm and intimate feeling in children; this feeling is often invoked even in those of advanced age upon hearing this phrase.

Further reading

• Mohammad Ali Jazayery, Review: Modern Persian Prose Literature, Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 90, No. 2, pp. 257 - 265 (1970). http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0003-0279(197004%2F06)90%3A2%3C257%3AMPPL%3E2.0.CO%3B2-T
• Mohammad-Ali Jamalzadeh, Encyclopædia Britannica online. http://www.britannica.com/eb/topic-428935/Once-Upon-a-Time