RipVanWinkleisashortstorywrittenbyWashingtonIrving.Itwasfirstpublishedin1819aspartofhiscollection"TheSketchBookofGeoffreyCrayon,Gent."ThestoryissetintheCatskillMountainsofNewYorkandfollowsalazybutkind-heartedmannamedRipVanWinkle.Ripislovedbythevillagersbutoftenscoldedbyhiswifeforavoidingwork.Oneday,toescapehernagging,hegoesintothemountainsandmeetsmysteriousmendressedinoldDutchclothing.Afterdrinkingtheirliquor,hefallsintoadeepsleep.Whenhewakesup,hediscoversthat20yearshavepassed.TheAmericanRevolutionhashappened,andhiswifehasdied.Thevillagehaschanged,butRipiswelcomedbackbytheyoungergenerationwhorememberhiskindness.Thestoryexploresthemesofchange,time,andthepassageofhistory.ItisoneoftheearliestexamplesofAmericanfolkloreandremainsaclassicinliterature.
