Monday, April 28, 2008

Manic Monday



Mo gave us the word RIP for Manic Monday.

"RIP VAN WINKLE"

Rip Van Winkle lived near the Kaatskill Mountains (sic) in a village that was very old and was founded by the Dutch Colonists. Rip had lived in that village since it was a province of England. Rip was a good, kind man, a nice neighbor and an obedient husband. He was very popular. Rip was considered blessed by others because of his good wife. Rip was also very popular around the other wives. The children became joyous when Rip came by because he played their sports, made them toys, taught them to fly kites, shoot marbles, and also told them stories. Rip fished all day and also hunted for squirrels and wild pigeons. Rip always attended to everyone’s business but his. For Rip to do family chores was impossible. Rip never worked on his farm. It was considered the worst one in the village because all it grew was corn and potatoes. Rip had a son named Rip, who was named after him. Rip Van Winkle was known to starve for a penny than work for a pound. Rip did not care very much, but his wife always attended to his needs.

Rip’s best friend was his dog, Wolf. His tail drooped to the ground and he walked silently, glaring at Dame Van Winkle and the door all the time. Derick Van Bummel was a school master. Nicholas Vedder was patriarch of the village, and landlord of the Inn. He hardly spoke, but smoked his pipe constantly. His friends understood him perfectly. When he was displeased, he smoked his pipe and let out angry puffs of smoke, but when he was pleased, he inhaled the smoke slowly and quietly.

The only way Rip could take time away from his work on the farm and his nagging spouse was to go through the woods with Wolf up to the mountains.

One fine autumn day, Rip had climbed to one of the highest points of the Kaatskill Mountains (sic), hunting for squirrel. He was very tired and threw himself down on a steep green hill. From an opening between the trees, he could see the Hudson River far, far below him. On the other side below him, he saw a small empty valley.

When he was about to leave the mountain, he heard someone call his name. He looked around and saw no one, so he started to leave again when the same person called him once more. Rip looked in the direction of the voice and saw a short, square built, old man, with thick bushy hair and a grizzled beard. He wore clothes of the antique Dutch fashion. They went into an amphitheater.

Rip’s companion poured what was in his keg into large glasses. Rip tasted the liquor which lead to another taste, again and again. He repeatedly filled his glass until he was drunk and fell asleep.

When he woke up, he found himself on the same green hill where he first saw the old man. He got up to look for his things and tried to retrace his path from the night before, but he could not find the amphitheater or anyone who was there. With no hope, he headed home.

He went into town and did not recognize anyone. Even their style of living was different. When he scratched his chin, he found his beard had grown a foot long. The town had lots more people in it than before. With difficulty he found his way back to his house which had fallen apart.


As Rip was trying to convince the bystanders that he was Rip Van Winkle, a woman with a small child pushed her way though the crowd. Rip asked what her name was. She replied Judith Gardenier. Then Rip asked what her father’s name was. She replied Rip Van Winkle.

She began to explain how he went away twenty years ago and never returned. Then Rip knew it was his daughter. He hugged the woman and child and said, "I am your father." At this point the villagers began to realize that he really was Rip Van Winkle.

Rip tried to establish his new life with his daughter and her family and with the villagers.

Illustrations by Gary Kelly from the Book Rip Van Winkle

Produced by: Briunshi`, Lisa, Joselina, and Mariel.

of the Sleepy Hollow Middle School

Other Manic Monday participants

theteach

17 comments:

Julia Phillips Smith said...

Wow - that was great! Love the illustrations. Wonderful retelling.

Pappy said...

Hey teach, Yes, that was my little two year old grandson. He keeps me very busy. I wish I could take credit for the John Darley, but it was featured on a group of Redneck photographs I received by e-mail. Hope you had a great weekend.

Anonymous said...

Oh drat! I didn't even think of this. Great job on this post. :)

Happy MM.

Gattina said...

A nice story but what is the moral of it ?

Mimi Lenox said...

Of all the many takes on the word rip, I did not see this one coming. Great post! And the pictures are wonderful.

Kimmie said...

HAHAHAHA! Mary we did the EXACT Same One!!! Two Great Minds Think Alike!!! ;-)

I like yours better...teehehehehe!

Hugs,
Kimmie

anthonynorth said...

You always give such a good analysis.
Excellent.

Suzie said...

Sort of a sad story. I do need a nap though

Sandee said...

Good one Teach. Not playing this week. I'm just so tired for some reason. Have a great day. :)

Durward Discussion said...

A variation on the theme became Maxwell Anderson's High Tor and then a Bing Crosby & Julie Andrews musical for television based on the play.

Here is Julie Andrews singing Once Upon A Long Ago

Anonymous said...

I've heard the name, but never read the story, until now. Thanks!
Now - about what I call e-widget.
I wish it were my idea... Have you heard of Entrecard? If you look at the little ad just beneath the heading "featured", with a yellow band underneath - that's the Entrecard widget. The ad on it changes every day, and advertising is free - Entrecard has a "currency" called entrecredits that you can use to buy ad space with. Earning them is easy. Go to entrecard.com - they can explain it so much better than me!
What I do is a little write-up each Monday of the people who've advertised with me during the last week.

Vinny "Bond" Marini said...

This looks familiar! LOLOLOL

Anonymous said...

Wonderful post! My mind didn't even go there. The only "Rip" I could think of was Rip Torn!

SandyCarlson said...

Reminds me of a story our rector told of an uncle who came home from WWI and stayed around a while. Then one day he got into his car, drove to Nevada, and was not heard from again for 20 years. Trauma caught up with him and played itself out over two decades.

I wonder if Rip has a strange back story, too.

Travis Cody said...

DOH! Rip van Winkle...I never even thought of that.

Good job!

Julie said...

Awww man! Good job! I went blank on this word.....The illustrations are very interesting too!

Sai Hijara - Ferraris said...

Wow...wonderful...thanks for the story and the lovely illustrations! THAT requires time... ;)

Have a nice week!