The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Irving)
Short Summary
In a Dutch settlement near Tarry Town, New York, during the late 18th century, a superstitious schoolmaster arrived to teach the local children.
He fell in love with the daughter of a wealthy farmer and began courting her, despite competition from a local hero.
One autumn night, after attending a party at the Van Tassel farm where ghost stories were told, Ichabod encountered a mysterious horseman on his way home. The figure appeared to be headless, carrying its head on the saddle pommel.
His terror rose to desperation; he rained a shower of kicks and blows upon Gunpowder, hoping by a sudden movement to give his companion the slip; but the spectre started full jump with him
The chase ended at the bridge near the church, where the horseman threw his head at Ichabod. The next morning, only Ichabod's hat and a shattered pumpkin were found. He was never seen in Sleepy Hollow again, though rumors suggested he had fled to New York, became a lawyer and politician. Brom Bones, who married Katrina shortly after, always laughed suspiciously when the story was told.
Detailed Summary
Division into chapters is conditional.
Sleepy Hollow and Its Schoolmaster
In a secluded glen near Tarry Town, along the eastern shore of the Hudson River, lay the quiet valley known as Sleepy Hollow. The place had a peculiar atmosphere that affected all who lived there.
A drowsy, dreamy influence seems to hang over the land, and to pervade the very atmosphere... causing them to walk in a continual reverie
The most famous supernatural tale of the region concerned a mysterious figure known as the Headless Horseman.
The dominant spirit that haunts this enchanted region... is the apparition of a figure on horseback, without a head. It is said by some to be the ghost of a Hessian trooper, whose head had been carried away by a cannon-ball
Into this setting came Ichabod Crane, a schoolmaster from Connecticut. He taught at the local schoolhouse while boarding with the families of his students, moving from one household to another each week.
It was, in fact, an odd mixture of small shrewdness and simple credulity. His appetite for the marvellous, and his powers of digesting it, were equally extraordinary
Romance and Rivalry
Ichabod's attention was soon drawn to Katrina Van Tassel, the beautiful eighteen-year-old daughter of a wealthy Dutch farmer. Her charms, combined with her father's prosperous estate, made her the object of many local suitors' attention.
Her father, Baltus Van Tassel, owned a prosperous farm with abundant livestock and rich fields. The farm's wealth greatly appealed to Ichabod's imagination, as he dreamed of converting it all to cash and moving west with Katrina.
However, Ichabod faced a formidable rival for Katrina's affections in the form of Abraham Van Brunt, nicknamed Brom Bones. This local hero was known for his strength, horsemanship, and mischievous nature.
Brom Bones, determined to drive away his rival, began playing pranks on Ichabod. He and his gang smoked out Ichabod's singing school and disrupted his evening walks. Despite these provocations, Ichabod carefully avoided any direct confrontation with his stronger competitor.
The Autumn Party
One autumn evening, Ichabod received an invitation to a party at the Van Tassel farm. He borrowed a horse named Gunpowder from Hans Van Ripper, with whom he was currently boarding, and spent extra time preparing his appearance for the occasion.
At the party, Ichabod danced with Katrina and feasted on the abundant food. As the evening progressed, the older guests began sharing ghost stories, particularly about the Headless Horseman. Brom Bones contributed a tale about his own encounter with the ghost, claiming he had raced with it for a bowl of punch but the spirit had vanished at the church bridge.
The Fateful Ride Home
After the party, Ichabod remained behind to speak with Katrina, but something in their conversation left him looking dejected. He mounted Gunpowder and began his journey home through the dark woods.
All the stories of ghosts and goblins that he had heard in the afternoon now came crowding upon his recollection. The night grew darker and darker; the stars seemed to sink deeper in the sky
As Ichabod approached Major André's tree, a notorious spot in local ghost stories, he began to whistle to keep up his courage. Soon after, he encountered a large, dark horseman mounted on a black steed. The mysterious rider remained silent and kept pace with Ichabod, who grew increasingly terrified when he realized the figure had no head on its shoulders - instead, it carried its head on the pommel of its saddle.
Ichabod spurred Gunpowder into a gallop, but the Headless Horseman kept pace. They raced through the hollow, with Ichabod desperately trying to reach the church bridge, where, according to Brom's story, the ghost would vanish. Just as they crossed the bridge, the Horseman hurled his head at Ichabod, striking him and knocking him from his horse.
The Aftermath and Speculation
The next morning brought mysterious evidence of the night's events.
The next morning the old horse was found without his saddle... In one part of the road leading to the church was found the saddle trampled in the dirt... and close beside it a shattered pumpkin
Ichabod disappeared from Sleepy Hollow, leaving behind only a few possessions. Hans Van Ripper burned the schoolmaster's books of poetry and witchcraft, declaring he would no longer send his children to school. Shortly afterward, Brom Bones married Katrina Van Tassel.
Years later, a farmer brought news that Ichabod had survived and moved away, eventually becoming a lawyer and judge. However, the old Dutch wives of Sleepy Hollow maintained that he had been spirited away by the Headless Horseman. Brom Bones, whenever the story was told, would respond with a knowing laugh at the mention of the pumpkin.
The old schoolhouse fell into decay and was said to be haunted by the ghost of the unfortunate pedagogue. The bridge became an object of superstitious awe, and the road was later altered to approach the church by a different route. The story of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman became a favorite tale told around winter fires in Sleepy Hollow.