YOU SAID:

there once was man in the middle of the sea

INTO JAPANESE

かつて海の真ん中に人がいました

BACK INTO ENGLISH

There used to be a person in the middle of the sea

INTO JAPANESE

海の真ん中に人がいた

BACK INTO ENGLISH

There was a person in the middle of the sea

INTO JAPANESE

海の真ん中に人がいました

BACK INTO ENGLISH

There was a person in the middle of the sea