This means you heard about something that happened in the past. You did not see it yourself. It is like saying 'I heard that...' or 'people say that...'.
Verb [stem] + けりPrimary
This means you heard about something that happened in the past. You did not see it yourself. It is like saying 'I heard that...' or 'people say that...'.
今は昔、竹取の翁といふものありけり。
A long time ago, there was reportedly a man called the Bamboo Cutter.
その合戦には、ついに援軍は来ざりけり。
In the end, reinforcements reportedly never came to that battle.
西行法師の詠みける歌に、心打たれる。
I am moved by the poems that the monk Saigyo is said to have composed.
昔、京には鬼が出ると言はれけり。
It is said that in olden times, demons would appear in Kyoto.
かぐや姫、月に帰ることを思ひて泣きけり。
Princess Kaguya reportedly cried, thinking of her return to the moon.
This is not just everyday talk. It is for old stories, history, or tales people have told for a long time. It makes the event feel like a story from long ago, not something you saw yourself.
This is different from '〜き'. '〜き' is for things you saw yourself. '〜けり' is for things you heard about. It is also different from '〜けり' when it shows a new discovery. That '〜けり' means 'Oh, I just noticed!'
Don't use this when you talk every day. For example, don't say "昨日けり" (kinou keri) for "yesterday."
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