Excerpt from Rip Van Winkle The object of this short introduction, is to try and impress on the reader, that the story he is about to relate is a reality; and the note added at the end of the story is intended to produce the same effect, or rather to add weight to the first declaration. In preparing the following edition of Rip Van Winkle, free use has been made of several works, to the authors of which the compiler's thanks are due. Teachers and pupils who desire to obtain more informa tion in regard to Irving and his writings, should get the works referred to at close of the short sketch of Irving's life. Some capital hints to the teacher are to be found in a little work (containing six of Irving's sketches, and published by Ginn, Heath 8: Co., of Boston, ) to which the compiler is greatly indebted. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.