<P> King George's portrait on the inn's sign has been replaced with one of George Washington . Van Winkle learns that most of his friends were killed fighting in the American Revolution . He is also disturbed to find another man called Rip Van Winkle; it is his son, now grown up . Van Winkle also discovers that his wife died some time ago but is not saddened by the news . </P> <P> Van Winkle learns that the men he met in the mountains are rumored to be the ghosts of Hendrick (Henry) Hudson's crew, which had vanished long ago, and that he has been away from the village for at least 20 years . His grown daughter takes him in . He resumes his usual idleness, and his strange tale is solemnly taken to heart by the Dutch settlers, particularly by the children who say that whenever thunder is heard, the men in the mountains must be playing nine - pins . The henpecked husbands in the area often wish they could have a sip of Van Winkle's elixir to sleep through their own wives' nagging . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Name </Th> <Th> Description </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Rip Van Winkle </Td> <Td> A henpecked husband who loathes "profitable labor"; and a meek, easygoing, ne'er - do - well resident of the village who wanders off to the mountains and meets strange men playing nine - pins . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Dame Van Winkle </Td> <Td> Rip Van Winkle's cantankerous and nagging wife . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Rip Van Winkle, Jr . </Td> <Td> Rip Van Winkle's ne'er - do - well son . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Judith Gardenier </Td> <Td> Rip Van Winkle's married daughter; she takes her father in after he returns from his sleep . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Derrick Van Bummel </Td> <Td> The local schoolmaster who went on to serve in American Revolution as a flag officer and later a member of Congress . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Nicholas Vedder </Td> <Td> Landlord of the local inn where menfolk congregate . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Van Schaick </Td> <Td> The local parson . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Jonathan Doolittle </Td> <Td> Owner of the Union Hotel, the establishment that replaced the village inn . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Wolf </Td> <Td> Van Winkle's faithful dog, who does not recognize him when he wakes up . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Man carrying keg up the mountain </Td> <Td> The ghost of one of Henry Hudson's crew members . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Ninepin bowlers </Td> <Td> The ghosts of Henry Hudson's crewmen from his ship, the Half - Moon; they share purple magic liquor with Rip Van Winkle and play a game of nine - pins . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Brom Dutcher </Td> <Td> Van Winkle's neighbor who went off to war while Van Winkle was sleeping . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Old woman </Td> <Td> Woman who identifies Van Winkle when he returns to the village after his sleep . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Peter Vanderdonk </Td> <Td> The oldest resident of the village, who confirms Van Winkle's identity and cites evidence indicating Van Winkle's strange tale is true . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Mr. Gardenier </Td> <Td> Judith Gardenier's husband, a farmer and crabby villager . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Rip Van Winkle III </Td> <Td> Rip Van Winkle's infant grandchild; his mother is Judith Gardenier . </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Name </Th> <Th> Description </Th> </Tr>

Who did rip van winkle encounter in the mountains