St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1886-02-13
RIP VAN WINKLE.
Not Irvings, But the Original, Ori.
entail rip"

1t is SOmetlneS d1fhcult to determine
the real origin of many of the best sto-
ries that we are accustomed to read in
our story books Any of you who have
tried to trace to their source anecdotes
that you have heard, have doubtless
found that they have been told oftener
than once, and that at each telling they
differed in essential particulars.
A long time ago Solosson announced
chat there was nothing new under the
sum- Some of our best stories are only
the reproductionsof an ancient historical
legend or an old-time myth. Many of
these can be traced back to very ancient
times, and have. passed through many
transformations before they came to us.
Originally put in form by some dark
bearded. turban-crowned story teller of
the Orient, ii was seized upon by the
fanciful and beauty-loving Greeks.
From them it was stolen by the Romans,
who plundered literature as they did
provinces. During the middle ages the
Anglo-Saxon and Norman monks, for
lack of other employment, and feeling
sadly in need of something to do, shut
up as they were, in their gloomy mon
asteries, took the old stories from their
Latin books, and rewrote them again.
These, in turn, became the source from
drawn some of their most, pleasing sto-
ries.
Most of you have, doubtless, read
Washington Irving's story of Rip Van
Wrinkle. You are familiar with every
character and incident of the tale-the
convivial Rip prone to over indulgence
at his beloved cups, the elfn necroman-
GERS, the sleep of twenty years and the
return and confusion of the unconscious
sleeper at the change he witnessed-an
portrayed as Irving alone could do it.
Yet this is but one of the many legends
which genius has rescued from oblivion,
and reclothing in fresher garb, handed
down to posterity. The story comes
from the Orient, and is as interesting as
any of the wonderful Arabian Nights.
Its hero can claim equal rank with
Aladdin, Camaralzaman, Sinbad, or any
of the other old worthless whose exper-
fences are recorded in that magnificent
Eastern story book. In Irving's story
it is party OF hobgoblins who perform
the office of enchantment, and the vic
tim is a good-natured Dutchman, who
is overcome by the potent influence of
the enchanted gin. The original is a
rather more pleasing story upon the
whole, although the end is as pathetic
as that of its modern counterpart. No
fiagon of charmed stinllant has a part in
the story, and the funny little Dutch
necromancers are left out. Instead a
beautiful fairy plays the part of en-
chantress, and little golden casket is
the fatal gift by which the finale is
brought about.
Mahmoud was handsome young fish
erman, who spread his nets and roWed
his boat on the silver tide of the Euphrates
where the towers of Bassorah overlook
the deep. He was as good natured and
industrious as he was handsome, work
ing hard early and late, and always sing
inc at his toll. His little stall in Basso-
rah was kept we'll stocked with his finny
merchandise, and he found ready pa
irons, for his pleasant face and cheerful
words quite won the hearts OF old and
young in the seaport town. The young
man did most of his fishing in the night,
sor the shop on the street required his |
presence during the day. But of this ne
did not complain, for his seines were
always drawn in full, and he had need
OF only little sleep. Mahmoud Ben
All was prosperous and eontented
man.