Chapter Sleek to Sleeper Awakened of S by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Sleek to Sleeper Awakened

Sleek (Aminadab), in The Serious Family, a comedy by Morris Barnett.

Sleeper (The). Almost all nations have a tradition about some sleeper, who will wake after a long period of dormancy.

(1) American (North). Rip van Winkle, a Dutch colonist of New York, slept twenty years in the Kaatskill Mountains of North America.—W. Irving.

American Indians. The name of Montezuma, last of the Aztec emperors, is dearly cherished by American Indian tribes, who still indulge a belief that he will some day return to re-establish the ancient empire.—Researches of the Hon. E. G. Squier.

American (South). Sebastian I., supposed to have fallen in the battle of Alcazarquebir, in 1578, is only asleep, and will in due time awake, return to life, and make Brazil the chief kingdom of the earth.

Arabian Legends. Mahommed Mohadi, the twelfth imân, is only sleeping, like Charlemagne, till Antichrist appears, when he will awake in his strength, and overthrow the great enemy of all true believers.

Nourjahad is only in a temporary sleep, waiting the fulness of time.

(2) British Traditions. King Arthur is not dead in Avillon, but is merely metamorphosed into a raven. In due time he will awake, resume his proper person, claim the throne of Britain, and make it the head and front of all the kingdoms of the globe. “Because king Arthur bears for the nonce the semblance of a raven, the people of Britain never kill a raven” (Cervantes: Don Quixote, I. ii. 5).

Gyneth slept 500 years by the enchantment of Merlin. She was the natural daughter of king Arthur and Guendolen; and was thus punished because she would not put an end to a combat in which twenty knights were mortally wounded, including Merlin’s son.—Sir W. Scott: Bridal of Triermain (1813).

Merlin, the enchanter, is not dead, but “sleeps and sighs in an old tree, spell-bound by Vivien.”—British Legend.

St. David was thrown into an enchanted sleep by Ormandine; but after sleeping for seven years, he was awoke by Merlin.

(3) French Legend. The French slain in the Sicilian Vespers are not really dead; but they sleep for the time being, awaiting the day of retribution.

(4) German Legends. Barbarossa with six of his knights sleeps in Kyffhaüsberg, in Thuringia, till the fulness of time; when they will awake and make Germany the foremost kingdom of the earth. The beard of the red king has already grown through the table slab at which he is seated; but it must wind itself three times round the table before his second advent. Barbarossa occasionally wakes and asks, “Is it time?” when a voice replies, “Not yet. Sleep on.”

Charlemagne is not dead, but only asleep in Untersberg, near Saltzburg, waiting for the advent of Antichrist, when he will rouse from his slumber, go forth conquering, and will deliver Christendom that it may be fit for the second advent and personal reign of Christ.

Charles V. Kaiser of Germany is only asleep, waiting his time, when he will awake, return to earth, “resume the monarchy over Germany, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Denmark, putting all enemies under his feet.”

Knez Lazar, of Servia, supposed to have been slain by the Turks in 1389, is not really dead, but has put on sleep for a while, and at an allotted moment he will reappear in his full strength.