The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow ' Summary
From the listless repose of the place, and the peculiar character of its inhabitants, who are descendants from the original Dutch settlers, this sequestered glen has long been known by name of Sleepy Hollow ... A drowsy, dreamy influence seems to hang over the land, and to pervade the very atmosphere.
— Washington Irving, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"
The story is set in 1790 in the countryside around the Dutch settlement of Tarry Town (historical Tarrytown, New York), in a secluded glen known as Sleepy Hollow. Sleepy Hollow is renowned for its ghosts and the haunting atmosphere that pervades the imaginations of its inhabitants and visitors. Some residents say this town was bewitched during the early days of the Dutch settlement, while others claim that the mysterious atmosphere was caused by an old Native American chief, the "wizard of his tribe ... before the country was discovered by Master Hendrik Hudson." The most infamous spectre in the Hollow is the Headless Horseman, supposedly the ghost of a Hessian trooper whose head had been shot off by a stray cannonball during "some nameless battle" of the Revolution, and who "rides forth to the scene of battle in nightly quest of his head".
The "Legend" relates the tale of Ichabod Crane, a lean, lanky and extremely superstitious schoolmaster from Connecticut, who competes with Abraham "Brom Bones" Van Brunt, the town rowdy, for the hand of 18-year-old Katrina Van Tassel, the daughter and sole child of wealthy farmer Baltus Van Tassel. Ichabod Crane, a Yankee and an outsider, sees marriage to Katrina as a means of procuring Van Tassel's extravagant wealth. Bones, the local hero, unable to force Ichabod into a physical showdown to settle things, plays a series of pranks on the superstitious schoolmaster. The tension among the three continues for some time, and is soon brought to a head. On a placid autumn night, the ambitious Crane attends a harvest party at the Van Tassels' homestead. He dances, partakes in the feast, and listens to ghostly legends told by Brom and the locals, but his true aim is to propose to Katrina after the guests leave. His intentions, however, are ill-fated.
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
EnglishPublished In
Author
Washington Irving
United States
Irving is largely credited as the first American Man of Letters and the first to earn his living solely by his pen. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow acknowledged Irving's role in promoting American literatu...
More on Washington IrvingDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books
Boule de Suif by Guy de Maupassant
Boule de Suif, translated variously as Dumpling, Butterball, Ball of Fat, or Ball of Lard, is a famous short story by the late 19th-century French wri...
Old Broadbrim into the Heart of Australia or, A Strange Bargain and Its Consequences by St. George Henry Rathborne
Old Broadbrim, the famous Quaker detective listened as one of the richest men in New York continued "......I want you to guard my person for one year,...
Hans of Iceland by Victor Hugo
Han d'Islande is a youth novel by Victor Hugo, published in 1823. The first version appeared, without an author's name, in Le Conservateur littéraire...
Dead Men's Money by Joseph Smith Fletcher
A naïve but sincere young lawyer's assistant who only dreams of marrying his childhood sweetheart and yearns to have a home and family with her. His s...
The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
A young gambler is found shot dead in a closed room. Dr. Watson, who still mourns the disappearance of his famous friend is intrigued enough to step o...
The Markenmore Mystery by J. S. Fletcher
After seven years of silence, Guy Markenmore returns to his family home at Markenmore Court. Knowing his father Sir Anthony to be close to death, he i...
The Silver Bullet by Fergus Hume
In a small English village, a series of brutal murders have been committed by a mysterious figure known as the Silver Bullet Killer. Synopsis: The S...
Nye and Riley's Wit and Humor by James Whitcomb Riley
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to spend an afternoon with two of the funniest men in America? In Nye and Riley's Wit and Humor, you can...
The Sandman: His Farm Stories by William John Hopkins
This is a delightful collection of heartwarming tales set against the backdrop of a charming farm. Written with a touch of whimsy and a deep understan...
Mystery of the Ambush in India by Andy Adams
A deadly ambush in the heart of India. A young man accused of murder. A desperate race to clear his name. Biff Brewster is a young American tourist t...
Reviews for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
No reviews posted or approved, yet...