One day, to escape/avoid his wife's nagging, Rip Van Winkle took a stroll in the woods. In these mysterious woods, he encountered a group of old men with long beards. When they saw Rip Van Winkle, they offered him a drink from a flask. Rip Van Winkle took a sip and found the drink delicious. As he was very thirsty, he drank to his heart's content. Immediately after the drink, he felt his eyelids becoming heavy. Before he knew it, he had fallen into a deep sleep.