The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

It was the very witching time of night that Ichabod, heavy-hearted and crestfallen, made his way homepursued his travel homewards, along the sides of the lofty hills which rise above Tarry Town, and which he had crossed so cheerfullytraversed so cheerily in the afternoon. The hour was as dismal as himself. Far below him the Tappan Zee spread its dusky and indistinct waste of waters, with here and there the tall mast of a sloop, riding quietly at anchor under the land. In the dead hush of midnight, he could even hear the barking of the watchdog from the opposite shore of the Hudson; but it was so vague and faint as only to give an idea of his distance from this faithful companion of man. Now and then, too, the long-drawn crowing of a cock, accidentally awakened, would sound far, far off, from some farm-house away among the hills—but it was like a dreaming sound in his ear. No signs of life occurred near him, but occasionally the melancholy chirp of a cricket, or perhaps the guttural twang of a bullfrog from a neighbouring marsh, as if sleeping uncomfortably and turning suddenly in his bed.

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, and driving clouds occasionally hid them from his sight. He had never felt so lonely and dismal. He was, moreover, approaching the very place where many of the scenes of the ghost stories had been laid. In the centre of the road stood an enormous tulip-tree, which towered like a giant above all the other trees of the neighbourhood, and formed a kind of landmark. Its limbs were gnarled and fantastic, large enough to form trunks for ordinary trees, twisting down almost to the earth, and rising again into the air. It was linked with the tragic story of the unfortunate André, who had been taken prisoner nearby. Everyone knew it asconnected with the tragical story of the unfortunate André, who had been taken prisoner hard by; and was universally known by the name of Major André’s tree. The common people regarded it with a mixture of respect and superstition, partly out of sympathy for the fate of its ill-starred namesake, and partly from the tales of strange sights, and mournfuldoleful lamentations, told concerning it.

As Ichabod approached this fearful tree, he began to whistle; he thought his whistle was answered; it was but a blast sweeping sharply through the dry branches. As he came a little nearer, he thought he saw something white hanging in the middle of the tree. He paused and stopped whistling. Looking more closely, he saw that lightning had scarred the tree and laid the white woodapproached a little nearer, he thought he saw something white, hanging in the midst of the tree: he paused and ceased whistling but, on looking more narrowly, perceived that it was a place where the tree had been scathed by lightning, and the white wood laid bare. Suddenly he heard a groan—his teeth chattered, and his knees knockedsmote against the saddle: it was but the rubbing of one huge bough upon another, as they were swayed about by the breeze. He passed the tree in safety, but new perils lay before him.

About two hundred yards from the tree, a small brook crossed the road, and ran into a marshy and thickly-wooded glen, known by the name of Wiley’s Swamp. A few rough logs, laid side by side, served for a bridge over this stream. On that side of the road where the brook entered the wood, a group of oaks and chestnuts, matted thick with wild grape-vines, threw a cavernous gloom over it. To pass this bridge was the severest trial. It was at this identical spot that the unfortunate André was captured, and the sturdy countrymen who caught him had been hidden under the cover of those chestnuts and vinesunder the covert of those chestnuts and vines were the sturdy yeomen concealed who surprised him. This has ever since been considered a haunted stream, and fearful are the feelings of the schoolboy who has to pass it alone after dark.

As he approached the stream, his heart began to thump; he summoned up, however, all his resolution, gave his horse tenhalf a score of kicks in the ribs, and attempted to dash briskly across the bridge; but instead of starting forward, the perverse old animal made a sidewayslateral movement, and ran broadside against the fence. Ichabod grew more frightened at the delay. He jerked the reins to the other side and kicked hard with the opposite foot. It was all in vain. His steed moved, it is true, but only to plunge acrossIchabod, whose fears increased with the delay, jerked the reins on the other side, and kicked lustily with the contrary foot: it was all in vain; his steed started, it is true, but it was only to plunge to the opposite side of the road into a thicket of brambles and alder bushes. The schoolmaster now used both whip and heel on the skinnybestowed both whip and heel upon the starveling ribs of old Gunpowder, who dashed forward, snuffling and snorting, but came to a stand just by the bridge, with a suddenness that had nearly sent his rider sprawling over his head. Just at this moment a splashing footfallplashy tramp by the side of the bridge caught the sensitive ear of Ichabod. In the dark shadow of the grove, on the margin of the brook, he sawbeheld something huge, misshapen, black and towering. It did not stirstirred not, but seemed gathered up in the gloom, like some gigantic monster ready to spring upon the traveller.

The frightened schoolmaster’s hair rose onhair of the affrighted pedagogue rose upon his head with terror. What was to be done? To turn and fleefly was now too late; and besides, what chance was there of escaping ghost or goblin, if such it was, which could ride upon the wings of the wind? Summoning up, therefore, a show of courage, he demanded in stammering accents, “Who are you?” He received no reply. He repeated his demand in a still more agitated voice. Still there was no answer. Once more he struckcudgelled the sides of the inflexible Gunpowder, and, shutting his eyes, broke forth with involuntary fervour into a psalm tune. Just then the shadowy object of alarm put itself in motion, and with a scramble and a bound stood at once in the middle of the road. Though the night was dark and dismal, he could now make out something of the stranger’s shape.yet the form of the unknown might now in some degree be ascertained. He appeared to be a horseman of large dimensions, and mounted on a black horse of powerful frame. He made no attempt to trouble him or be friendly, but kept apartoffer of molestation or sociability, but kept aloof on one side of the road, jogging along on the blind side of old Gunpowder, who had now got over his fright and waywardness.

Ichabod, who had no relish for this strange midnight companion, and rememberedbethought himself of the adventure of Brom Bones with the Galloping Hessian, now quickened his steed in hopes of leaving him behind. The stranger, however, quickened his horse to an equal pace. Ichabod pulled up, and fell into a walk, thinking to lag behind,—the other did the same. His heart began to sink within him; he tried to resume his psalm tune, but his dry tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth, and he could not sing a noteendeavoured to resume his psalm tune, but his parched tongue clove to the roof of his mouth, and he could not utter a stave. There was something in the moody and dogged silence of this stubbornpertinacious companion that was mysterious and appalling. It was soon fearfully accounted for. As they climbed a rise, his fellow-traveller’s figure stood out against the sky, gigantic in height and wrapped in a cloak. Ichabod was horror-struck to see that he was headless! His horror grew still greater when he saw that the head, which should have rested on the rider’sOn mounting a rising ground, which brought the figure of his fellow-traveller in relief against the sky, gigantic in height, and muffled in a cloak, Ichabod was horror-struck on perceiving that he was headless!—but his horror was still more increased on observing that the head, which should have rested on his shoulders, was carried before him on the pommel of the saddle! 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. Away, then, they dashed through thick and thin; stones flying and sparks flashing at every bound. Ichabod’s flimsy garments fluttered in the air, as he stretched his long lank body away over his horse’s head, in the eagerness of his flight.

They had now reached the road which turns off to Sleepy Hollow; but Gunpowder, who seemed possessed with a demon, instead of keeping up it, made an opposite turn, and plunged headlong downhill to the left. This road runs through a sandy hollow shaded by trees for about a quarter of a mile. There it crosses the bridge famous in goblin tales. Just beyond rises the green knoll on which the whitewashed church stands.leads through a sandy hollow shaded by trees for about a quarter of a mile, where it crosses the bridge famous in goblin story; and just beyond swells the green knoll on which stands the whitewashed church.

So far, the horse’s panic had given his unskilful rider an apparent advantage in the chase. But just as he got halfway through the hollow, the saddle straps gave way, and he felt the saddleAs yet the panic of the steed had given his unskilful rider an apparent advantage in the chase, but just as he had got half way through the hollow, the girths of the saddle gave way, and he felt it slipping from under him. He seized it by the pommel and tried to hold it firm, but in vain. He just had time to save himself by clasping old Gunpowder round the neck before the saddle fell to the ground. He heard his pursuer trample it underfoot.pommel, and endeavoured to hold it firm, but in vain; and had just time to save himself by clasping old Gunpowder round the neck, when the saddle fell to the earth, and he heard it trampled under foot by his pursuer. For a moment, the terror of Hans Van Ripper’s wrath crossed his mind—for it was Van Ripper’s Sunday saddle. But this was no time for petty fears: the goblin was hard on his heels, and (unskilful rider that he was!) he had great difficulty staying on;moment the terror of Hans Van Ripper’s wrath passed across his mind,—for it was his Sunday saddle; but this was no time for petty fears; the goblin was hard on his haunches; and (unskilful rider that he was!) he had much ado to maintain his seat; sometimes slipping on one side, sometimes on another, and sometimes jolted on the high ridge of his horse’s backbone, with a violence that he verily feared would injure him badlycleave him asunderExplanation: Softens an imagined graphic injury for children while retaining the danger of the rough ride..

An opening in the trees now cheered him with the hopes that the church bridge was at hand. The wavering reflection of a silver star in the bosom of the brook told him that he was not mistaken. He saw the walls of the church dimly glaring under the trees beyond. He rememberedrecollected the place where Brom Bones’s ghostly competitor had disappeared. “If I can but reach that bridge,” thought Ichabod, “I am safe.” Just then he heard the black steed panting and blowing close behind him; he even fancied that he felt his hot breath. Another convulsive kick in the ribs, and old Gunpowder sprang upon the bridge; he thundered over the resounding planks; he gained the opposite side; and now Ichabod cast a look behind to see if his pursuer should vanish, according to rule, in a flash of fire and brimstone. Just then he saw the goblin rising in his stirrups, and just about to hurlin the very act of hurling his head at him. Ichabod tried to dodge the horrible missile, but too late. It struck his head with a tremendous crash. Heendeavoured to dodge the horrible missile, but too late. It encountered his cranium with a tremendous crash,—he was tumbled headlong into the dust, and Gunpowder, the black steed, and the goblin rider, passed by like a whirlwind.

The next morning the old horse was found without his saddle, and with the bridle under his feet, soberly cropping the grass at his master’s gate. Ichabod did not make his appearance at breakfast; dinner-hour came, but no Ichabod. The boys assembled at the school-house, and strolled idly about the banks of the brook; but no schoolmaster. Hans Van Ripper now began to feel some uneasiness about the fate of poor Ichabod, and his saddle. An inquiry began, and after a diligent search they found his tracks.was set on foot, and after diligent investigation they came upon his traces. On one part of the road to the church, they found the saddle trampled in the dirt. They followed the deep hoofprints, clearly left by horses racing at furious speed, as far as the bridge. Beyond it, on the bank of a broad part of the brook where the water ran deep and black, they found poor Ichabod’s hat—and close beside it,In one part of the road leading to the church was found the saddle trampled in the dirt; the tracks of horses’ hoofs deeply dented in the road, and evidently at furious speed, were traced to the bridge, beyond which, on the bank of a broad part of the brook, where the water ran deep and black, was found the hat of the unfortunate Ichabod, and close beside it a shattered pumpkin.

The brook was searched, but the schoolmaster’s body could not be foundbody of the schoolmaster was not to be discovered. Hans Van Ripper, responsible for settling Ichabod’s estate, examined the bundle containing all his worldly possessions.Ripper as executor of his estate, examined the bundle which contained all his worldly effects. They consisted of two shirts and a half; two stiff neckclothsstocks for the neck; a pair or two of worsted stockings; an old pair of corduroy knee-breechessmall-clothes; a rusty razor; a book of psalm tunes full of dog’s-ears; and a broken pitch-pipe. As to the books and furniture of the school-house, they belonged to the community, excepting Cotton Mather’s “History of Witchcraft,” a “New England Almanac,” and a book of dreams and fortune-telling; in which last was a large sheet of writing paper, much scribbled and blotted in several fruitless attempts to writesheet of foolscap much scribbled and blotted in several fruitless attempts to make a copy of verses in honour of the heiress of Van Tassel. Hans Van Ripper immediately consigned these magic books and the poetic scrawl to the flames. From then on, he resolved to send his children to school no more. He observed that he had never known any good to come of thisThese magic books and the poetic scrawl were forthwith consigned to the flames by Hans Van Ripper; who, from that time forward, determined to send his children no more to school, observing that he never knew any good come of this same reading and writing. Whatever money the schoolmaster possessed must have been on him when he disappeared. He had received his pay for the quarter only a day or two before.possessed, and he had received his quarter’s pay but a day or two before, he must have had about his person at the time of his disappearance.

The mysterious event caused much speculation at the church on the following Sunday. Groups of onlookersKnots of gazers and gossips were collected in the churchyard, at the bridge, and at the spot where the hat and pumpkin had been found. The stories of Brouwer, of Bones, and a whole collectionbudget of others were called to mind; and when they had diligently considered them all, and compared them with the signs insymptoms of the present case, they shook their heads, and came to the conclusion that Ichabod had been carried off by the Galloping Hessian. As he was unmarried and owed nobody money, nobody troubled their head any more about him. The school moved to another part of the hollow, and another schoolmaster reigned in his place.a bachelor, and in nobody’s debt, nobody troubled his head any more about him; the school was removed to a different quarter of the hollow, and another pedagogue reigned in his stead.

It is true that an old farmer visited New York several years later and brought home news that Ichabod Crane was still alive. This account of the ghostly adventure came from that farmer. He reported that Ichabod had left the neighbourhood partly from fear of the goblin and Hans Van Ripper, and partly from shame at being suddenly rejected by the heiress. Ichabod had moved to a distant part of the country. He had taught school while studying law, become a lawyer, turned politician, campaigned in elections, written for the newspapers, and finally been made a judgetrue, an old farmer, who had been down to New York on a visit several years after, and from whom this account of the ghostly adventure was received, brought home the intelligence that Ichabod Crane was still alive; that he had left the neighbourhood partly through fear of the goblin and Hans Van Ripper, and partly in mortification at having been suddenly dismissed by the heiress; that he had changed his quarters to a distant part of the country; had kept school and studied law at the same time; had been admitted to the bar; turned politician; electioneered; written for the newspapers; and finally had been made a justice of the Ten Pound Court. Brom Bones, too, had triumphantly led the blooming Katrina to the altar shortly after his rival disappeared. People noticed how knowing he looked whenever Ichabod’s story was told. He always burst into a hearty laugh at the mention of the pumpkin. Thiswho, shortly after his rival’s disappearance conducted the blooming Katrina in triumph to the altar, was observed to look exceeding knowing whenever the story of Ichabod was related, and always burst into a hearty laugh at the mention of the pumpkin; which led some to suspect that he knew more about the matter than he chose to tell.

The old country wives, however, who are the best judges of these matters, maintain to this day that Ichabod was spirited away by supernatural means; and it is a favourite story often told about the neighbourhood round the winter evening fire. The bridge became more than ever an object of superstitious awe; and that may be the reason why the road has been altered of late years, so as to approach the church by the border of the mill-pond. The deserted school-house soon fell into decay and was said to be haunted by the unfortunate schoolmaster’s ghost. On a still summer evening, a ploughboy strolling home has often imagined hearing his voice in the distance, chanting a melancholy psalm tune amidschool-house being deserted soon fell to decay, and was reported to be haunted by the ghost of the unfortunate pedagogue and the plowboy, loitering homeward of a still summer evening, has often fancied his voice at a distance, chanting a melancholy psalm tune among the tranquil solitudes of Sleepy Hollow.

POSTSCRIPT.

FOUND IN THE HANDWRITING OF MR. KNICKERBOCKER.

The preceding tale is given almost in the exact words in which I heard it told at a meeting of the ancient city of Manhattoes’ governing council. Many of its wisest and most distinguished citizens were present.precise words in which I heard it related at a Corporation meeting of the ancient city of Manhattoes, at which were present many of its sagest and most illustrious burghers. The narrator was a pleasant, shabby, gentlemanly old fellow, in pepper-and-salt clothes, with a sadly humorous face, and one whom I strongly suspected of being poor—he made such efforts to be entertaining. When his story ended, there was much laughter and approval, particularly from two or three deputy aldermen who had been asleep for most of it.was concluded, there was much laughter and approbation, particularly from two or three deputy aldermen, who had been asleep the greater part of the time. There was, however, one tall, dry-looking old gentleman, with overhangingbeetling eyebrows, who maintained a grave and rather severe face throughout, now and then folding his arms, inclining his head, and looking down upon the floor, as if turning a doubt over in his mind. He was one of your wary men, who never laugh but upon good grounds—when they have reason and the law on their side. When the rest of the company’s mirth died down and silence returned, he rested one arm on his chair’s armrest and put the other hand on his hip. With a slight but exceedingly wise motion of his head and a frown, he asked what the moral of the story was, and what it was meant to prove.mirth of the rest of the company had subsided, and silence was restored, he leaned one arm on the elbow of his chair, and sticking the other akimbo, demanded, with a slight, but exceedingly sage motion of the head, and contraction of the brow, what was the moral of the story, and what it went to prove?

The story-teller, who was just putting a glass of wine to his lips, as a refreshment after his labourstoils, paused for a moment, looked at the man asking the questionhis inquirer with an air of infinite deference, and, lowering the glass slowly to the table, observed that the story was intended most logically to prove—

“That every situation in life has its advantages and pleasures—provided we can take a joke as it comesthere is no situation in life but has its advantages and pleasures—provided we will but take a joke as we find it:

“That, therefore, he that runs races with goblin troopers is likely to have rough riding of it.

“Therefore, for a country schoolmaster to be refused the hand of a Dutch heiress is a sure step towards a high positionErgo, for a country schoolmaster to be refused the hand of a Dutch heiress is a certain step to high preferment in the state.”

The cautious old gentleman knit his brows tenfold closer after this explanation, being thoroughly puzzled by the chain of reasoning, while, it seemed to me, the fellow in pepper-and-salt clothes eyed him with a rathersorely puzzled by the ratiocination of the syllogism, while, methought, the one in pepper-and-salt eyed him with something of a triumphant leer. At last he observed that all this was very well, but he still thought the story a little extravagant—there were one or two points aboutlength he observed that all this was very well, but still he thought the story a little on the extravagant—there were one or two points on which he had his doubts.

“Faith, sir,” replied the story-teller, “as to that matter, I don’t believe one-half of it myself.” D. K.

THE END.