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This line probably originated in 19th Century English romance/gothic novels. The heroine innocently takes a "position" or visits some place where evil lurks or adventure looms behind a calm, civilized veneer. She begins the narrative of the novel, with classic British understatement, something like this: "If I had but known that I would soon be facing a madman with an axe in those dank catacombs, I would never have had the courage to get on the train to Sussex that fatal day last summer . . ."

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This line probably originated in 19th Century 19th-century English romance/gothic novels. The heroine innocently takes a "position" or visits some place where evil lurks or adventure looms behind a calm, civilized veneer. She begins the narrative of the novel, with classic British understatement, something like this: "If I had but known that I would soon be facing a madman with an axe in those dank catacombs, I would never have had the courage to get on the train to Sussex that fatal day last summer . . ."



* "Don't Guess, Let Me Tell You": Satarized as "The HIBK (Had I But Known) School" in this Creator/OgdenNash poem which goes on to give numerous over-the-top examples:

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* "Don't Guess, Let Me Tell You": Satarized Satirized as "The HIBK (Had I But Known) School" in this Creator/OgdenNash poem which goes on to give numerous over-the-top examples:
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* ''Literature/TheWarOfTheWorlds'' by Creator/HGWells opens with this applying to all of humanity who "with serene complacency" go about their affairs little knowing that "intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic" are studying them and drawing plans for an AlienInvasion.

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Alphabetized examples.


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* ''{{Fanfic/Aska}}'': During Motor-Oil conversation with his ex's answering machine, he starts telling a story and eays this phrase after introducing the characters.
--> '''Motor-Oil''': Little did they know the horror that awaited them!

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* ''{{Fanfic/Aska}}'': ''Fanfic/{{Aska}}'': During Motor-Oil conversation with his ex's answering machine, he starts telling a story and eays this phrase after introducing the characters.
--> '''Motor-Oil''': -->'''Motor-Oil''': Little did they know the horror that awaited them!



%%* There are about two or three of these, played absolutely straight, per ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' novel.
%%* Literature/CiaphasCain is prone to using this at the end of chapters.
%%** He loves to describe how "if only he knew" what fantastically lethal enemy awaited him, he would freeze/run away as fast as possible, and frak whoever's around/[[JustEatGilligan just shoot the character about to get him in trouble]], while proceeding to do the exact opposite. Even [[DirectLineToTheAuthor Amberley]] isn't sure how serious he is sometimes.



* "Don't Guess, Let Me Tell You": Satarized as “The HIBK (Had I But Known) School” in this Creator/OgdenNash poem which goes on to give numerous over-the-top examples:

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* "Don't Guess, Let Me Tell You": Satarized as “The "The HIBK (Had I But Known) School” School" in this Creator/OgdenNash poem which goes on to give numerous over-the-top examples:


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%%* There are about two or three of these, played absolutely straight, per ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' novel.

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!!Examples!!Examples:
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* ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'': Appears in the OpeningScroll regarding Luke not knowing about the construction of the second Death Star.

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* ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'': Appears The phrase appears in the OpeningScroll regarding Luke not knowing about the construction of the second Death Star.Star. As it turns out, this would lead him to the final battle against the Emperor and Darth Vader.
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* ''{{VideoGame/Aquaria}'': The early stages of the game are narrated by Naija expressing just how ignorant of the world around her she was at the time.

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* ''{{VideoGame/Aquaria}'': ''{{VideoGame/Aquaria}}'': The early stages of the game are narrated by Naija expressing just how ignorant of the world around her she was at the time.
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* ''WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck'': One episode that takes place in Medieval times subverts this. Darkwing's public persona is working in the royal castle. After watching the King and Queen acting like fools, he turns to the camera and says, "Little do they know... And I do mean ''little''."

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* ''WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck'': One episode that takes place in Medieval times subverts {{parodie|d}}s this. Darkwing's public persona is working in the royal castle. After watching the King and Queen acting like fools, he turns to the camera and says, "Little do they know... And I do mean ''little''."
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''"I was just an OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent, that normal, peaceful day. [[TitleDrop Little did I know]] that this was all going to change."'' or ''"I thought it was over. Little did I know]], it had only just begun."''

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''"I was just an OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent, that normal, peaceful day. [[TitleDrop Little did I know]] that this was all going to change."'' or ''"I thought it was over. Little did I know]], know, it had only just begun."''
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''"I was just an OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent, that normal, peaceful day. LittleDidIKnow that this was all going to change."'' or ''"I thought it was over. [[TitleDrop Little Did I Know]], it had only just begun."''

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''"I was just an OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent, that normal, peaceful day. LittleDidIKnow [[TitleDrop Little did I know]] that this was all going to change."'' or ''"I thought it was over. [[TitleDrop Little Did did I Know]], know]], it had only just begun."''
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''"I was just an OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent, that normal, peaceful day. LittleDidIKnow that this was all going to change."'' or ''"I thought it was over. LittleDidIKnow, it had only just begun."''

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''"I was just an OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent, that normal, peaceful day. LittleDidIKnow that this was all going to change."'' or ''"I thought it was over. LittleDidIKnow, [[TitleDrop Little Did I Know]], it had only just begun."''

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[[AC:Fan Works]]
* ''{{Fanfic/Aska}}'': During Motor-Oil conversation with his ex's answering machine, he starts telling a story and eays this phrase after introducing the characters.
--> '''Motor-Oil''': Little did they know the horror that awaited them!



* ''Literature/CiaphasCain'': Every book starts with a variation and Cain repeats it regularly. He also comments that he'd be "gibbering in terror" if he only knew... It's greatly toned down in the 4th and 5th books and worded a lot better.



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* ''{{VideoGame/Aquaria}'': The early stages of the game are narrated by Naija expressing just how ignorant of the world around her she was at the time.



* ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'': Ed says this when narrating his RashomonStyle sequence in the episode [[Recap/EdEddNEddyS3E3OnceUponAnEd "Once Upon an Ed"]].

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* ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'': Ed says this when narrating begins his portion of the RashomonStyle sequence story in the episode [[Recap/EdEddNEddyS3E3OnceUponAnEd "Once Upon an Ed"]].

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