, Research Paper
The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow
Ichabod Crane was a school master in a small town called Sleepy
Hollow. He was greatly amazed by the tale of a ghost called The
headless Horseman . It was a ghost that roamed the small valley of
Sleepy Hollow. Then one dark night Ichabod was chased through the
woods by the Headless Horse Man. He mysteriously disappeared.
Long ago there was a town called Greenburgh or some called it
Tarry Town. Not far from that village lied a valley called Sleepy Hollow.
A quiet place it was. The land had something that anyone that went
there felt drowsy. Some said that the place was bewitched by a High
German doctor during the early days of settlement.
The spirit that was said roamed this land was a figure on a horse
back, without a head. It was said to be the ghost of a Hessian trooper.
His head had been carried away by a cannon ball in some
revolutionary war. The body of that trooper was buried in a church
yard. During the night the ghost rides in search of his head at blasted
speed to get back to the church yard before day break. The ghost is
known as the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow.
Ichabod Crane stayed in the village of Sleepy Hollow for only one
purpose and that was to teach the children of the area. Ichabod was a
native of Connecticut. He was tall and very skinny with narrow
shoulders and very long arms and legs. His head was small and
flattened on top. He had huge ears, large green eyes and a long snipe
nose. His school house was a low building of one large room. It was
made of logs. The sounds of children s low voices could be heard on
drowsy summer days, like the sound of bees in their beehive. After
school hours, he would be the companion of the older boys.
He would spent long Winter evenings with the old Dutch wives. He
used to listen to their stories. He was interested in the legend of the
Headless Horseman. He came to love the idea of marrying a rich
mans daughter by the name of Katrina Van Tassel. He wanted to own
her father s wealth and land. There was one person that got in his
way. A guy by the name of Brom Bones. He was a local hero who
decided a long time ago to marry Katrina Van Tassel.
It was one even
There were many people and Brom Bones also attended. At the
gathering he ate and talked to Katrina s father. Then Katrina and
Ichabod danced. The folks talked about the legends and superstitions
of Sleepy Hollow. Brom Bones told them how he challenged the
Headless Horseman in a race and how the Horseman disappeared.
That night as Ichabod walked he approached the scenes where
many of these stories took place. He kept hearing a strange noises,
but it happened to be the wind and trees. As Ichabod kept going the
more fearful he got. He approached his fellow-traveler. Ichabod was
horror struck on realizing that the figure was headless. But more
terrified that his head was carried on his saddle. Suddenly, away he
went. Ichabod s horse made a wrong turn. They went through a sandy
hollow shaded by trees. When they found the bridge they heard
panting close behind them. Ichabod went the opposite side, the ghost
was close behind. Ichabod saw the phantom rising his stirrups and in
the act of hurling his head at Ichabod. Ichabod tried to dodge it but it
was too late. It collided with his cranium with a huge crash. Ichabod
tumbled suddenly into the dust and his horse and the goblin rider,
passed like a flash.
The following morning the horse was found with no saddle at his
mater s gate. But no sign of Ichabod. The hat of Ichabod was found
and close beside it lied a shattered pumpkin. His body was not
discovered.
Nobody never really knew what happened to poor Ichabod. But at
the mention of the pumpkin, Brom Bones would burst out laughing
which led one to suspect that he knew more about Ichabod s
disappearance than he told.
Nobody really know what happens, so that s why its called a legend.
But there are people that know more about it but don t choose to tell.
Legends are stories that can t be proved true or false. They are
passed on from generation to generation. They are not always real.
There are people who might know the truth about a legend.
I would recommend this book to other people because it is
interesting and exciting. It is a little bit mysterious. It is something that
you might never find out the truth about.