by Tami Cook

Created on: July 11, 2008

It has stood the test of time...The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is about a quaint little town named just that, Sleepy Hollow, set back in a quiet countryside. Ichabod Crane, a mild-mannered school teacher comes to Sleepy Hollow knowing nothing of the town's past or the strange legend surrounding the town. He falls in love with Katrina Van Tassel who is the daughter of the mayor of the town and the girlfriend of Brahm Bones. They compete fiercely for Katrina's attention.

In so doing, Brahm tries scaring Ichabod into leaving the town of Sleepy Hollow. Ichabod refuses to give up, and continues to play for Katrina's affections. Brahm tries many times to scare Ichabod into leaving their town but never quite succeeds in doing so. One night, Brahm tells the schoolteacher about the story of the Headless Horseman in a last-ditch effort to scare his compettition for Katrina's affections away.

The Horseman is said to be a demon or angry spirit who comes out on nights when the moon is at its fullest, rides a firey black horse with glowing red eyes, carries his detatched head in one hand and comes after unsuspecting Night-travellers who come across the town, although he can never cross the old town bridge, so if they make it to the bridge, they are safe. But if they are caught by him they are never seen again and the only trace of them is a smashed-up pumpkin head.

They have a dance in the town square and Ichabod borrows a neighbor's horse, whose name is Gunpowder, to get there. Ichabod dances almost every dance with Katrina making Brahm Bones extremely jealous. On the way back to his house, Ichabod meets the Horseman head-on one night and tries to find out who the Horseman is but no one seems to know. One night he meets the horseman again and he disappears, leaving the townsfolk to wonder where he went, and he is never seen again. The only thing they ever find is a scared horse back in the neighbor's pasture, a hat and bits of smashed-up pumpkin head at the mouth of the old bridge. Brahm Bones is suspected of being the murderer but they never actually find out who really did it.

It is a story filled with spine-tingling suspense, romance, mystery and legend, said to be based on a true story. It has withstood the tests of time and is one of the best loved Halloween stories. It's a story for all ages, young, old and in between, first-timers and old timers allke will see why it's a beloved classic ghost-story. Who doesn't love a good shiver on a cold night with a crackling fire, a full moon and a group of friends?

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