23rd July 2024 Joy
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow was written by Washington Irving in 1820. It concerns Ichabod, a superstitious schoolmaster who intended to marry Katrina Van Tassel, the wealthy farmer’s daughter. However, Ichabod had a competitor, Abraham “Brom Bones” Van Brunt, who was known for his pranks and practical jokes.
The Van Tassel homestead held an Autumn harvest party where dear Brom tells of the known legend of Sleepy Hollow, the “Headless Horseman”, a notorious ghost who rises every night in search of his missing head. A cannonball had struck him during the Revolutionary War.
As the party wears on, Ichabod proposes to Katrina, but she rejects him. Heartbroken, he leaves, riding hard down the Hollow, but suddenly, he froze upon seeing a cloaked rider. Before Ichabod could flee, the lone Horseman reared his horse, hurling his severed head at Ichabod. He was hit and knocked off his horse……
The story ends with Katrina marrying Brom Bones. Although the true nature is left to the reader’s imagination, the story implies that the Horseman was really Brom in disguise; using a lantern as a false head. Ichabod Crane survived the fall and fled Sleepy Hollow in terror.