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Irving's Legend
The Legend
of Sleepy Hollow was written by Washington Irving in the voice of his fictional narrator Diedrich Knickerbocker. Irving's fictional narrator was characterized
as an old historian who had taken many pains to collect stories and tales of Dutch history in New England. Irving wrote
that this legend was found among his papers after he died.
The setting for
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is the glen known as Sleepy Hollow. Sleepy Hollow is a relaxed and comforting environment
where a man might laze about all day long without a care in his heart. Such a man there was in this tiny valley, a man
who went by the name of Ichabod Crane. Mr. Crane was the schoolmaster in the Hollow, a well known and well loved man
who survived mostly on kindness and benevolence of others. Not being a man of means (being a teacher paid very little),
Ichabod would often befriend a student from week to week and butter-up the mother in hopes of an invitation to a weeks stay.
He recieved many an invitation for stay, and many meals from ladies all over town.
Ichabod spent the
greater part of his alone-time reading works by Cotton Mather and or in company, sitting nightly by the fire while the ladies
spun their old Dutch folk tales, fables, and spooks. One might say Ichabod had an appetite for fear, and though he was
a man easily freightend he could not satisfy that underlying appetite for the marvelous tales that he read and heard.
One tale in particular fascinated Ichabod tremendously. It was the tale of
The Headless Horseman (also The Galloping Hessian of the Hollow).
Mr. Crane was still
a man, and so took great notice of the fairer sex in all their beauty and wonderment. One lady in particular, the
eighteen year old Miss Katrina Van Tassel; she sang with him in a group which he instructed and Ichabod quickly
took a liking to her. Her father was a wealthy and generous man who rarely left his farm, but remained well known.
Ichabod hopes to marry Katrina and so enjoy the fruits of her inheritance, but he had many competitors, the fiercest being
Brom Van Brunt--a man known for his strength and heartihood. Ichabod, however, was not afraid.
One day, during his
lesson, Ichabod's school was interupted by a servant from the Van Tassel household with an invitation to a tea with the family
and some other guests. Ichabod arrives with his neighbor's raggedy old horse and charms his way with everyone.
As soon ask dusk settles in the guests begin to spin their stories, which leads them to their tales of the Headless Horseman
and his hauntings in the graveyard in Sleepy Hollow. One tale in particular about this menace speculated that a local
had encountered the Horseman and followed him to a bridge where the horsemen threw him into a brook and galloped away.
Brom, Ichabod's rival for Katrina's love also claimed he had encountered the Horseman, claiming Brom's horse had scared
him away. Ichabod could only repay these storytellers with peices by his teacher, Cotton Mather and his own spooky experiences in his home state, Connecticut.
The next part
of The Legend is left somewhat vague. Ichabod seeks conversation with the mistress of his affection but for some reason
leaves in a tither and as one feeling great pain. He mounts his shabby horse and rides homeward. On his journey,
Ichabod perceived a great deal of eerie happenings, which the night of story telling had impressed upon him to be some sort
of haunting creature following his path. Indeed something or someone had been following Ichabod and he finally caught
an impaired glimpse of the menace. At first perceived to be only a horseman of massive frame, and having recieved no
reply to his question of whom he was, Ichabod rallied his horse and began down the road singing a psalm to calm himself.
The rider, who had been situated in the middle of the road, followed Ichabod at a steady and even pace, following his every
action so as to keep a perfect distance between them. Upon further view of the horseman Ichabod noticed that he was
a massive man, completely covered in a cloak...and headless! Not only was this horseman headless, but he rode with his
head in saddle right in front of him.
The
pair broke into a gallop as Ichabod strained his horse and himself in order to outrun his assailant. Taking one wrong
turn Ichabod soon had the advantage as his horse took him through a grove. Losing his saddle, and soon at full speed
Ichabod believed he had outrun his captor, turning to reassure himself of this he is struck in the head with the head
of the horseman.
Having
not returned to his school or been seen by the towns people a search is made for Ichabod, which only turns up his neighbors
broken saddle, a black hat, and a smashed pumpkin. The culprit of this event was speculated to be Brom Bones himself,
as he always seemed to know something the townspeople did not whenever the story was told. As for Ichabod and the rest
of those made missing by the Horseman, to learn about their end you will have to read the book!
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| The Headless Horseman |
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