Release Message:  Rip Van Winkle (Joseph Jefferson) is a ne'er-do-well who wanders off one day into the Kaatskill mountains where he drinks some of a group odd men's mysterious brew and passes out only to find when waking up that 20 years have passed.

Description:  Rip Van Winkle (Joseph Jefferson) is a ne'er-do-well who wanders off one day into the Kaatskill mountains where he drinks some of a group odd men's mysterious brew and passes out only to find when waking up that 20 years have passed. The dwarf is still sitting on a stone resting from carrying a heavy burden with Rip curiously walking circles around him trying to find out his origin. There! Rip screws up his courage and reaches after the dwarf. The dwarf, however, doesn't react amused at all, takes a step back and starts gesturing savagely. Is there a lipreader in the house? Now Rip is responding in a slightly more mannered fashion. The dwarf gets up and seems to leave. But he doesn't take his heavy barrel. Rip, on the other hand, does take the barrel and follow the dwarf.