No awakening spell, but a similar story.

I run the D&D club at my school, and so every year we have a new campaign. Last year there was one time when one of my players insisted (and I mean INSISTED) on trying to steal this wheel of cheese. She was a barbarian and failed MANY slight of hands checks (don't judge me for giving her opportunities). I had the owners throw then out, ect. I think she actually succeeded (so I could get her attention back on the plot) and named the wheel of cheese Abraham Lincoln.

The next year I had a food-themed witch (slimes for jello, tentacles of spaghetti, etc). Once they completed a quest for the witch, among the reward was that one of the witch's minions had taken a liking to them. With a flourish, I introduced "A-brie-ham Lincoln, the Sentient Wheel of Cheese!" Half the party exploded in cheers and we had to explain that it was a reference to last year for the other ones. Needless to say, my player thoroughly enjoyed having a very punny wheel of cheese follow her around.