--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once upon a time there were two…" description: "\"Once upon a time there were two countries, at war with each other. In order to make peace after many years of conflict, they decided to build a bridge ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ec/vera-nazarian-1671_agree_once-upon-a-time-there-were-two-countrie_3213901.jpg" --- # Once upon a time there were two countries, at war with… ![“Once upon a time there were two countries, at war with each other. In order to make peace after many years of conflict, they decided to build a bridge across the ocean. But because they never learned each other’s language properly, they could never agree on the details, so the two halves of the…” quote by Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ec/vera-nazarian-1671_agree_once-upon-a-time-there-were-two-countrie_3213901.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ec/vera-nazarian-1671_agree_once-upon-a-time-there-were-two-countrie_3213901.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ec/vera-nazarian-1671_agree_once-upon-a-time-there-were-two-countrie_3213901.jpg) > “Once upon a time there were two countries, at war with each other. In order to make peace after many years of conflict, they decided to build a bridge across the ocean. But because they never learned each other’s language properly, they could never agree on the details, so the two halves of the bridge they started to build never met. To this day the bridge extends far into the ocean from both sides, and simply ends half way, miles in the wrong direction from the meeting point. And the two countries are still at war.” [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Miscommunication prevents cooperation, leaving grand projects incomplete and conflicts unresolved. **In simple terms:** Failure to understand each other stalls progress. Key Takeaway Prioritize clear communication in collaborations. Themes communication conflict collaboration Mood cautious hopeful Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - international diplomacy - team projects - engineering - peace negotiations Key Concepts language barriers project management Questions to Reflect On - What steps can bridge cultural gaps? - How can shared goals be clarified? A Different Perspective Assuming language alone is the issue overlooks deeper mistrust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bridges/) [Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Making peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-peace/) [Meetings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meetings/) [Ocean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ocean/) [Once upon a time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/once-upon-a-time/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [When two countries are at war, the world is then full of shame, pain, blood and misfortune! Soldier were meant to keep peace and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/when-two-countries-are-at-war-the-world-is-then-full-of-shame-pain/) [Simphiwe Scientist Dumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/) > [I am going to explain to you why we went to war. Why mankind always goes to war. It is not social or political.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/i-am-going-to-explain-to-you-why-we-went-to-war-why-mankind-always-2/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [I am going to explain to you why we went to war. Why mankind always does to war. It is not social or political.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/i-am-going-to-explain-to-you-why-we-went-to-war-why-mankind-always/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [Too often, U.N. peacekeepers face an impossible task in countries that are still at war and where there is no real peace to keep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-guterres/too-often-u-n-peacekeepers-face-an-impossible-task-in-countries-that/) [Antonio Guterres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-guterres/) > [As an observer, you can clearly see that Western countries are war-weary and don't want to be pulled into new conflicts. They always proclaim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-lauder/as-an-observer-you-can-clearly-see-that-western-countries-are-war/) [Ronald Lauder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-lauder/) > [If our countries had war the one with the other, that was no cause that he should put us to death; with which they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-our-countries-had-war-the-one-with-the-other-that-was-no-cause/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Once upon a time, the Reindeer took a running leap and jumped over the Northern Lights. But he jumped too low, and the long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/once-upon-a-time-the-reindeer-took-a-running-leap-and-jumped-over-the/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [Once upon a time, began the story of you.Many perilous, wonderful, harrowing, brilliant, delightful, profound things happened.And yet—the most exciting twists and best turns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/once-upon-a-time-began-the-story-of-you-many-perilous-wonderful/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [Better to build a bridge than a wall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/better-to-build-a-bridge-than-a-wall/) [Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/) > [“build a bridge and get over it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-roman/build-a-bridge-and-get-over-it/) Ann Roman > [I learned that a long walk and calm conversation are an incredible combination if you want to build a bridge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/i-learned-that-a-long-walk-and-calm-conversation-are-an-incredible/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Im not here right now so cry me a river, build yourself a bridge, and Get Over it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-not-here-right-now-so-cry-me-a-river-build-yourself-a-bridge-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Cry yourself a river, build a bridge and get over it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/cry-yourself-a-river-build-a-bridge-and-get-over-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nobody can build the bridge for you to walk across the river of life, no one but you yourself alone. There are, to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nobody-can-build-the-bridge-for-you-to-walk-across-the-river-of-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If he can understand my story, then he’s never too far from me. It is always within my power to build a bridge. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/if-he-can-understand-my-story-then-he-s-never-too-far-from-me-it-is/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) ## More by Vera Nazarian > [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [“The cactus thrives in the desert while the fern thrives in the wetland. The fool will try to plant them in the same flowerbox.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/the-cactus-thrives-in-the-desert-while-the-fern-thrives-in-the/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [“Colored lights blink on and off, racing across the green boughs. Their reflections dance across exquisite glass globes and splinter into shards against tinsel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/colored-lights-blink-on-and-off-racing-across-the-green-boughs-their/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [It does not take a great supernatural heroine or magical hero to save the world.We all save it every day, and we all destroy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/it-does-not-take-a-great-supernatural-heroine-or-magical-hero-to-save/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [Here's a new 'Blessing' for our time -- 'May Anderson Cooper never be sent to report on your town!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/here-s-a-new-blessing-for-our-time-may-anderson-cooper-never-be-sent/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [When you wake up from a dream you have only a few precious moments before the details of the dream begin to dissipate and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/when-you-wake-up-from-a-dream-you-have-only-a-few-precious-moments/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [“It's a fact— everyone is ignorant in some way or another. Ignorance is our deepest secret. And it is one of the scariest things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/it-s-a-fact-everyone-is-ignorant-in-some-way-or-another-ignorance-is/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [Was it you or I who stumbled first? It does not matter. The one of us who finds the strength to get up first,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/was-it-you-or-i-who-stumbled-first-it-does-not-matter-the-one-of-us/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [“Meditation is a mysterious method of self-restoration. It involves “shutting” out the outside world, and by that means sensing the universal “presence” which is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/meditation-is-a-mysterious-method-of-self-restoration-it-involves/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [The great miraculous bell of translucent ice is suspended in mid-air. It rings to announce endings and beginnings. And it rings because there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/the-great-miraculous-bell-of-translucent-ice-is-suspended-in-mid-air/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [Unlike a fountain that circulates the same water in an enclosed, perpetually recycling system, a human being circulates thoughts in an unlimited reservoir of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/unlike-a-fountain-that-circulates-the-same-water-in-an-enclosed/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [I've always been creative verbally, had a flair, my teachers said - wrote great expository essays in elementary school, scribbled little poems, embraced all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/i-ve-always-been-creative-verbally-had-a-flair-my-teachers-said-wrote/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [One sin seldom mentioned is that of killing time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/one-sin-seldom-mentioned-is-that-of-killing-time/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [The sand in the hourglass runs from one compartment to the other, marking the passage of moments with something constant and tangible.If you watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/the-sand-in-the-hourglass-runs-from-one-compartment-to-the-other/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [When you reach for the stars, you are reaching for the farthest thing out there. 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But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [ I will not agree to have this bill \[to repeal DADT \] go forward, because our economy is in the tank. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-will-not-agree-to-have-this-bill-to-repeal-dadt-go-forward-because/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [“I tend to agree with that little devil more and more these days.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/i-tend-to-agree-with-that-little-devil-more-and-more-these-days/) [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) > [People might not agree with me, but I think a woman should have a feminine shape, something you can get your hands on. 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