Rip Van Winkle left the tavern and went on his traditional walk. Here's the lovely Hudson. And here is the natural amphitheatre.
It's the game: nine-pins. The noise of the balls, which, whenever they were rolled, echoed along the mountains like rumbling peals of thunder.
The keg of liquor had to appear according the plot. Rip Van Winkle presupposed to taste the beverage, which had much of the flavor of excellent Hollands.
Players have taken a break. However they have taken out from their pockets the little metal drinking cans with the refreshing soft drink and have drunk contents of cans.
Frustrated Rip Van Winkle returned to the village tavern, ordered some drink and began to think. Even the nature of people seemed to have changed. Instead of former coolness, equanimity and sleepy tranquility in everything the efficiency, aggressiveness, assertiveness appeared ...
Rip Van Winkle decided to go at the next walk with a little metal drinking can filled with a refreshing soft drink.
And here he is again near the Hudson. The lordly Hudson moving on its silent but majestic course and at last losing itself in the blue highlands.
The amphitheatre. There is the game: nine-pins. The sound of balls, like distant peals of thunder.
Rip Van Winkle was waiting for a break in the game. The players will drink a refreshing drink from the metal cans.
The break has really come. But players have taken out from pockets and packages a candies and have eaten them.
The frustrated Rip Van Winkle returned to the village tavern. "How long have I sat in this tavern!" - he thought. - "How many here the "endless sleepy stories about nothing" were telling!"
In this moment some undersized and brisk little man has pulled him a sleeve, have risen on toes and has whispered to him on an ear: "Who are you: Federal or Democrat?"
- Pardon, gentlemen! - cried Rip, somewhat dismayed. - I am a quiet man, a native of the place, and a loyal subject of the king, God bless him!
Here a general shout burst:
- Hustle him! Away with him!
The poor man Rip humbly assured them that he meant no harm, but merely came there in search of some of his neighbors, who used to keep about the tavern.
The heated discussion has begun.
Having heard about the changes which have happened in the world and in the native village, Rip has felt how his heart clenches. Besides each answer generated in him a deep bewilderment because conversation was about big intervals of time and about events enormous.
Rip Van Winkle has remembered a legend. Hendrick Hudson, the first discoverer of the river and country, kept a kind of vigil every twenty years, with his crew of the Half-moon. Hendrick Hudson and crew being permitted in this way to revisit the scenes of his enterprise and keep a guardian eye upon the river and the great city called by his name.
"Stop wasting time in this tavern!"' - exclaimed Rip Van Winkle. - "I will write about outstanding people and historical events. I personally saw much! I read many authors... For example, Washington Irving!'
Rip Van Winkle has resolutely risen and has gone to an exit from the tavern.
"Whereto!?"- someone from the staff of the tavern alarmed exclaimed.
Accidentally Rip Van Winkle has run a finger over a table surface. The result of a random experiment has shown that the cleanliness of the table was not up to par.
Rip Van Winkle has gone to create literary works.
June 25, 2018 17:38
Translation from Russian into English: June 25, 2018 - June 26, 2018.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский 'Новый рассказ о Рипе ван Винкле'.