"Rip Van Winkle" is a short story by Washington Irving. It was first published in Irving's "The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent." in June 1819. Irving wrote the story one night while staying with his sister's family in Birmingham, England. He read it to his hosts at breakfast the next morning. It was one of the first stories Irving proposed for "The Sketch Book". The story is similar to a German story called "Karl Katz". "Rip Van Winkle" has been adapted to theater, cartoons, television, and other media many times.