Although Washington Irving’s Rip Van Winkle is widely considered one of the first American short stories, it was inspired by a German folktale. In order to escape the wrath of his shrewish wife, a lazy but lovable man goes hunting in the Catskill Mountains. He has an adventure involving some odd-looking men, a keg of strange liquor, and a very long night’s sleep. He doesn’t bring back any game but, like his country, returns to a peace and freedom never experienced before. Themes include storytelling, tyranny (his wife/England) vs. independence, indolence and passivity, marital conflict, progress, the supernatural.
The story’s folktale origin may explain the one-dimensional nature of its characters and simple storyline. The folktale source is almost certainly Der Ziegenhirt (aka Peter Klaus the Goatherd), published by Protestant theologian Johann Nachtigal in 1800.
Original Text / PDF / Audio (6,150 words)
Peter Klaus the Goatherd Text / PDF (2,200 words)