Original MS letter from James Joyce to Paul Ruggiero, 4 September 1938

Hotel de la Paix, Lausanne. Dear Ruggiero, Again I have to ask you for your help. How do you begin and end a fairy tale or a little story for children in Greek? To explain the matter to you: in English you begin: Once upon a time and a very good time it was; and you end like this; So they put on the kettle and they made tea and they lived happily ever after. The Germas say ‘Es war einmal’ and they end ‘Und wenn sie nicht gestorben sind, so leben sie noch heute!’ Of course I do not want the Greek translation of these sentences but something typically Greek (with the Italian translation underneath). Each country has its own expressions for this purpose. I have finished my long book. Thanks to the Almighty. How are you and your family? I hope, well. And I hope too that you had a good holiday. We shall be at Zurich by the end of October, I think, but for Heaven’s sake don’t wait until then to send me your reply.