0:07

Everybody dollars standing.

0:10

That's sunny now. Isn't

0:13

that sunny? You've tried to get

0:15

into long trouble today, didn't you

0:17

try?

0:20

The legend of sleepy hollow

0:22

by Washington Irving.

0:26

found among the papers of the late

0:28

daedric knickerbocker.

0:30

A pleasing land

0:32

of drowsy head it was, of

0:35

dreams that wave before the half

0:37

shut

0:38

of gay castles in the clouds

0:40

that pass. forever flushing

0:43

round the summer sky,

0:45

castle of

0:47

indolence. in

0:49

the bosom of one of those spacious coves,

0:51

which indent the eastern shore of the

0:53

Hudson. And that broad

0:56

expansion of the river dominated by

0:58

the ancient Dutch navigators, the

1:01

Tappanbare, and where they always

1:03

prudently shortened sail and implored

1:06

protectionist Legend when they crossed.

1:08

There lies a small market town

1:11

or rural port, which

1:13

by some is called Greensboro.

1:16

but

1:16

which is more generally and properly

1:18

known by the name of Tarrytown.

1:21

This name was given Sharpe told

1:23

in former days by the Good House wives

1:25

of the adjacent county from the

1:27

invetrate propensity of their husbands

1:29

to linger about in the village tavern

1:31

on Sharpe days. be

1:33

that as it may. I

1:35

do not vouch for the fact but merely

1:37

advert to it for the sake

1:39

of being precise and authentic. Not

1:42

far from this village, perhaps about

1:44

two miles, there is a little valley

1:47

or rather lap of land among high Hollow,

1:49

which is one of the quietest places

1:51

in the whole world. A

1:53

small brook glides through it with

1:55

just murmur enough to love one to repose.

1:58

and

1:58

the occasional whistle

1:59

of a quail or tapping of a woodpeaker

2:02

is

2:02

almost the only sound that ever breaks

2:04

in upon the uniform tranquility.

2:07

I

2:07

recollect that when a stripling,

2:09

my first exploit in squirrel shooting

2:12

was in a grove of tall walnut trees

2:14

that shades one side of the valley.

2:16

I had wandered into it at noontime when

2:19

all nature is peculiarly quiet

2:22

and was startled by the roar of my own

2:24

gun as it broke the Sabbath stillness

2:26

around. and was prolonged and

2:28

reverberated by the angry

2:30

echoes.

2:31

If ever I should wish for a retreat

2:33

wither I might steal from the world in

2:35

its distractions Legend dream

2:38

quietly away the remnants of

2:40

a troubled life. I

2:42

know of none more promising

2:45

than this little valley.

2:47

From the listless repose of place

2:50

and the peculiar character of its inhabitants

2:52

who are descendants from the original Dutch

2:54

settlers.

2:55

This sequestered Glen

2:58

has

2:58

long been known by the name of

3:01

Hollow, and its rustic

3:03

lads are called the sleepy hollow

3:05

boys. throughout all the

3:07

neighboring country. A

3:10

drowsy, dreamy influence

3:12

seems to hang over the land and to

3:14

pervade the very atmosphere. Some

3:17

say that the place was bewitched by

3:19

a high German doctor during the early

3:21

days of the settlement,

3:22

others, that an old Indian

3:24

chief the prophet or wizard of his

3:26

tribe held his powwows there

3:28

before the country was discovered by

3:31

master Hendrik Hudson.

3:33

Certain it is and the place

3:35

still continues under the sway

3:37

of some witching power that

3:39

holds a spell over the minds of the

3:41

good people. causing them to

3:43

walk in a continual revelry.

3:46

They are given to all kinds of marvelous beliefs,

3:49

subject to trances and visions

3:51

and frequently see strange

3:53

sights and hear music and

3:56

voices in the air.

3:58

The whole neighborhood abounds

3:59

at local tales, their haunted spots,

4:02

and twilight superstitions.

4:04

Stars shoot, and

4:06

meteors glare often across

4:08

the valley than in any other part of

4:10

the country and the nightmare with

4:13

her whole ninefold. seems

4:15

to make it the favorite scene of

4:17

her gambles. The dominant

4:19

spirit, however, that haunts this enchanted

4:22

region and seems to be commander

4:24

in chief of all the powers of the

4:26

air is the apparition

4:28

of a figure on horseback.

4:32

without a head. If

4:34

he said by some to be the ghost of

4:36

a Hessian trooper, his head

4:38

had been carried away by a cannonball in

4:40

some nameless back during the

4:42

revolutionary war, and who is

4:44

ever and a non seen by the country

4:46

folk, hurrying along in the gloom of

4:48

night as if on the wings of

4:50

the wind. His horns

4:52

are not confined to the valley,

4:54

but

4:54

extended times to the adjacent roads

4:57

especially to the vicinity

4:59

of a church should no great distance.

5:01

Indeed,

5:01

certain of the most authentic

5:04

historians of those parts who have been

5:06

careful in collecting and collating the

5:08

floating facts

5:09

concerning the specter.

5:11

alleged that

5:12

the body of the trooper been

5:14

buried in the churchyard, the

5:16

ghost rides forth to the scene

5:18

of battle in nightly quest

5:20

of his head. And at

5:22

the rushing speed with which he sometimes

5:25

passes along Hollow like a midnight

5:27

blast, he's

5:28

owing to his being belated and

5:30

in a hurry to get back to the churchyard

5:33

before daybreak.

5:34

Such is the general purport

5:37

of this legendary superstition, which

5:39

has furnished materials for many

5:41

a wild story in that region

5:43

of shadows.

5:44

the Spectre is known at all

5:47

the country firesides by

5:49

the name of

5:50

the headless horsemen.

5:53

of sleepy hollow. It

5:55

is remarkable that the visionary propensity

5:57

I have mentioned is not confined to

5:59

the native inhabitants of the valley.

6:02

but is unconsciously imbibed

6:05

by everyone who resides there for

6:07

a time. However, wider

6:09

wake they may have been before they entered

6:11

that sleepy region.

6:13

They are sure in a little time to

6:15

inhale the witching influence of

6:17

the air and begin

6:19

to grow imaginative. to

6:22

dream dreams

6:24

see.

6:25

Aperitian's.

6:26

I

6:27

mentioned this peaceful spot with all

6:30

possible lord for it is

6:32

in such little retired Dutch

6:34

valleys found here and there emblazoned

6:36

in the great state of New York.

6:38

that population, manners

6:41

customs remain fixed while

6:43

the great tolerant of migration and

6:45

improvement. which is making such incessant

6:47

changes in other parts of this restless

6:49

country, sweeps by them,

6:51

unobserved. They

6:53

Sharpe like those little nooks of

6:55

still water, which border a rapid

6:57

stream, where we may see the

6:59

straw and bubble Irving quietly

7:01

at anchor. or slowly revolving

7:04

in their mimic harbor undisturbed

7:06

by the rush of the passing current.

7:09

Though many years have elapsed since

7:11

I trolled the drowsy shades of

7:13

sleepy Hollow, yet I question

7:16

whether I should not still find

7:18

the same trees and the

7:19

same families vegetating in

7:22

its sheltered bosom.

7:25

In

7:25

this by place of nature,

7:27

there are bold in the remote

7:29

period of American history, that

7:31

is to say some thirty years since

7:34

a worthy white of the

7:36

name of Ikebaud

7:38

Crane. who

7:39

rejoined or as he expressed

7:41

it, tarried, and

7:43

sleepy Hollow, for

7:44

the purpose of instructing the children of

7:46

the vicinity.

7:48

He was a native of Connecticut,

7:50

a state which supplies the union

7:52

with pioneers for the mind

7:54

as well as for the forest. and sends

7:57

forth yearly its legions of

7:59

frontier woodman

7:59

and country school masters.

8:03

the cognomen of crane was

8:05

not inapplicable to this

8:07

person. He

8:07

was tall, but exceedingly blank,

8:10

with narrow shoulders, long arms, and

8:12

legs, hands that dangled a mile

8:14

out of his Sleepy' feet

8:17

that

8:17

might have served for shuffles.

8:19

his whole frame most loosely

8:22

hung together. His head was

8:24

small and flat at the top

8:26

with huge ears.

8:28

large green glossy eyes and

8:30

a long, snipe nose.

8:32

So

8:33

that it looked like a weathercock perched

8:35

upon his spindle neck to tailor which way

8:37

the wind blew. To

8:39

see

8:39

him striding along the profile of

8:41

a hill on a windy day, with

8:43

his clothes, his backing, and fluttering

8:46

about him. One might

8:47

have mistaken him for the genius of

8:49

famine descending upon the

8:51

earth or some

8:53

scarecrow eloped from a

8:55

cornfield.

8:58

His schoolhouse was a low building of

9:00

one large room, rootly

9:03

constructed of logs. The

9:04

windows partly glazed and partly

9:07

patched with leaves of old copy books.

9:09

It was most ingeniously secured

9:11

at vacant towers by a wythe,

9:14

twisted in the handle of the

9:16

door and stakes set against the

9:18

window shutters. So that though a

9:20

thief might get in with

9:22

perfect ease, it would

9:23

find some embarrassment in

9:25

getting out. An

9:26

idea most probably borrowed by

9:28

the architect, Yost Van

9:31

Hooten, from the mystery of

9:33

an evil pot. The

9:35

schoolhouse stood in a rather lonely but

9:37

pleasant situation just at

9:39

the foot of a woody hill

9:41

with a brook running close by and

9:43

a formidable birch tree growing at

9:45

one end of it. From

9:47

hence, the low murmur of his

9:49

pupils voices conning over their

9:51

lessons might be heard in a drowsy

9:53

summer's day, like the of a

9:55

beehive interrupted known

9:57

then by the authoritative voice of

9:59

the

9:59

master in the tone of menace

10:02

or command or paradventure

10:05

by

10:05

the appalling sound of the

10:07

birch. as

10:08

he urged some tardy, leiterer,

10:11

along the flowery path of

10:13

knowledge.

10:14

Truth to say, he was a

10:17

conscientious man and

10:19

ever bore in mind the golden

10:21

maxim, spare the

10:23

rod,

10:24

and spoil the child.

10:27

Ecipod crane scholars certainly

10:29

were not spoiled. I

10:32

would not have it imagined,

10:34

however, that he one of those cruel potent

10:36

takes of the school who joy in the

10:38

smart of their subjects on

10:41

the contrary. He administered

10:43

justice with discrimination rather

10:45

than severity, taking the

10:47

burden off the backs of the week and

10:49

laying it on those of the strong.

10:52

your

10:52

mere Tony that wince

10:54

that the least flourish of the rod

10:56

was

10:56

passed by with indulgence, but

10:58

the claims of justice were

11:01

satisfied.

11:01

by inflicting a double portion

11:04

on some little tough, wrong

11:06

headed, broad, skirted,

11:07

Dutch,urchin. who's

11:09

soaked and swelled and grew dogged and

11:12

sullen beneath the birch.

11:14

All this

11:14

he called doing his duty

11:16

by their parents, he

11:18

never inflicted a chastisement without following

11:21

it by the assurance, so

11:23

consultatory to the smarting that

11:25

he would remember it and thank

11:27

him. for the longest day he had

11:29

to live. When school

11:31

hours were over, he was even

11:33

a companion and playmate of the larger

11:35

boys, And

11:36

on holiday afternoons would convoy some

11:38

of the smaller ones home who happen to

11:40

have pretty sisters or

11:42

good housewives from mothers noted

11:45

for the comforts of the cupboard. Indeed,

11:47

it behooved him to keep on good

11:49

terms with his pupils. The

11:51

revenue arising from his school was

11:53

small, and would have been scarcely

11:55

sufficient to furnish him with Daily Bread

11:57

four, he was a huge feeder, and

11:59

though

11:59

Lang had the dilating powers of

12:02

an Anaconda. But

12:03

to help out, his maintenance he was according to

12:06

the country custom in those parts

12:08

boarded and lodged at the houses of the

12:10

farmers whose children he instructed.

12:12

With these, he lived successively a

12:15

week at a time, thus going the rounds

12:17

of the neighborhood, with

12:18

all his worldly effects tied

12:21

up. in

12:22

a cotton handkerchief, that

12:24

all this might not be too onerous on

12:26

the purses of his rustic

12:27

patrons who are apt to consider

12:30

the cost of

12:30

schooling a grievous burden

12:32

and school masters as mere

12:35

drones. He had various ways

12:37

of rendering himself both useful

12:39

and agreeable, he

12:40

assisted the farmers occasionally in the

12:42

lighter labors of their farms,

12:44

helped to make hay, Mended defenses,

12:46

took the horses to water,

12:49

drove the cows from pasture, and

12:51

cut wood for the winter fire.

12:53

He lay aside too all the dominant dignity

12:56

and absolute sway with which

12:58

he lorded it in his little empire,

13:00

the school.

13:01

and became wonderfully gentle and

13:04

ingratiating. He found

13:06

favor in the eyes of the mothers by petting

13:08

the children, particularly the youngest,

13:10

and like the lion bold, which William

13:12

so magnanimously Sleepy lamb

13:15

did hold. He would sit with a child

13:17

in one knee, and rock a cradle

13:19

with his foot, the whole hours

13:21

together. In addition to his

13:23

other vocations, he was the

13:25

singing master of the neighborhood and picked

13:27

up many bright shillings by instructing

13:29

the young folks in Somedy.

13:31

It was a matter of no little

13:33

vanity to him on Sundays to take

13:35

his station in front of

13:37

the church gallery with a band of

13:39

chosen singers, where in his own

13:41

mind, he completely carried away the

13:43

palm from the person.

13:44

Certainly, Tisi's voice resounded far

13:47

above all the rest of the congregation, and

13:49

there

13:49

are peculiar quavers still

13:51

to be heard in that church. and

13:53

which may even be heard half a mile

13:56

off quite to the opposite side of

13:58

the mill pond. But it's still Sunday

14:00

morning, which asked said to be

14:02

legitimately descended from the

14:04

nose of Icabod crane.

14:06

Thus, by diverse little make shifts,

14:08

in that ingenious way, which is commonly

14:11

denominated by

14:12

hook and by crook, the

14:14

worthy pedagogue got on

14:16

tolerably enough. and was

14:18

thought by all who understand nothing of the

14:20

labor of headwork to have a

14:22

wonderfully easy life

14:24

of it. The

14:25

schoolmaster is generally a man of some importance

14:27

in the female circle of

14:29

a rural neighborhood, being considered

14:32

a kind of idle gentleman

14:34

like personage. of vastly

14:37

superior taste and accomplishments

14:39

to the rough country swanes

14:41

and

14:41

indeed inferior in learning

14:43

only to the person. His

14:45

appearance therefore, he's apt to occasion

14:47

some little stir at the tea

14:49

table of a farmhouse the addition

14:51

of a super new radish of cakes

14:53

or sweet meats or peradventure

14:55

the parade of a silver

14:57

teapot. Our man of

14:59

letters therefore was peculiarly

15:01

happy in the smiles of all the

15:03

country damsels How

15:04

he would figure among them in the churchyard

15:07

between services on Sundays, gathering

15:10

grapes for them from the wild vines

15:12

that overrun the surrounding trees.

15:14

reciting for their amusement all the

15:17

epitaphs on the tombstones Tony sawtering

15:20

with a whole bevy of them along the banks

15:22

of the adjacent middle pond while

15:24

the more bashful country bumpkins

15:26

hung sheepishly back,

15:29

envying his superior elegance and

15:31

the dress. From his

15:33

half eye tenorig life also, he was

15:35

a kind of gazette, carrying

15:37

the whole budget of local gossip from

15:39

house to house so that his appearance

15:41

was always greeted with satisfaction. He

15:44

was moreover esteemed by the women as a

15:46

man of great extradition, Four, he

15:48

had read several books

15:50

quite through and was a perfect

15:52

master of cotton mather's history

15:54

of New England witchcraft.

15:56

in which, by the way, he most

15:59

firmly and potently

16:01

believed. He was in

16:03

fact an old mix year of

16:05

small shrewdness and simple credulity.

16:08

His appetite for the marvelous and his

16:10

powers of digesting it were equally

16:12

extraordinary. and both had been

16:14

increased by his residence in this

16:16

spellbound region.

16:18

No

16:18

tail was too gross or monstrous for

16:21

his Capacious swallow.

16:23

It was often his delight after his school was

16:25

dismissed in the afternoon to stretch

16:27

himself over old mather's

16:29

direful tales.

16:31

until the gathering dusk of evening

16:33

made the printed page a mere mist

16:35

before his eyes.

16:37

Then as he wended his way

16:39

by swamp and stream and awful woodland

16:41

to the farmhouse where he happened to be courted.

16:44

Every

16:44

sound of nature at that witching hour

16:47

flooded. his excited

16:49

imagination. The moan

16:50

of the wipper will from the hillside,

16:53

the boating

16:53

cry of the tree

16:56

Tony, at

16:56

harbinger of storm, the

16:59

dreary

16:59

hooting of the screechow or

17:02

the sudden rustling in the thicket of birds

17:04

frightened from their roost,

17:06

The fireflies too, which sparkled

17:09

most vividly in the darkest places,

17:11

now and then startled him as one

17:13

of uncommon brightness would stream

17:15

across his path and if by chance a

17:18

huge blockhead of a beetle came

17:20

winging his blundering flight

17:22

against him. The

17:24

poor Violet was ready to give up the

17:26

ghost with the idea that he was struck

17:28

with a witch's token.

17:29

He's only resource on

17:31

such occasions to drowned thought

17:33

or drive away evil spirits was

17:36

to sing some tunes and

17:38

the good people of sleepy hollow as they

17:40

sat by their doors of an

17:42

evening. were often filled with awe at hearing his nasal

17:45

melody. In linked sweetness, long

17:47

drawn out, clothing from

17:49

the distant hill. or

17:52

along the Dusky road. Another

17:54

of his sources of fearful

17:57

pleasure was to pass long winter

17:59

evenings with the old

17:59

Dutch wives as they sat spinning by the fire

18:02

with a row of apples roasting and

18:04

spluttering along the half and

18:06

listen to their marvelous tales

18:08

of ghosts and goblins.

18:10

and haunted fields and haunted bricks

18:13

and haunted bridges and haunted

18:15

houses, and particularly.

18:17

of the

18:17

headless horsemen

18:19

or galloping hessian of the

18:22

hollow as they sometimes called

18:24

him. He would

18:24

delight them equally by his anecdotes

18:27

of which craft and of the

18:29

doubtful omens and

18:31

portentous sights and sounds in the air,

18:33

which prevailed in the earlier times

18:35

of Connecticut. and would frighten them

18:37

woefully with speculations upon

18:39

comets and shooting

18:41

stars. And

18:41

with the alarming that

18:43

the world did absolutely turn

18:46

round and that they were of the

18:48

time topsy-turvy.

18:50

But if there was a pleasure in all

18:52

this, while snugly cuddling

18:54

in the chimney corner of the chamber that

18:56

was at all a ruddy glow

18:58

from the crackling wood fire and where,

19:01

of course, no spectre there to

19:03

show its face. It was

19:05

daily purchased by the

19:07

terrorist of his subsequent walk

19:10

onwards. What fearful

19:12

shapes and shadows possess

19:14

his path? amidst the dim

19:16

and ghastly glare of a snowy

19:18

night. With what a

19:20

wishful look did he eye

19:22

every trembling ray of light streaming

19:24

across the waist fields from some

19:26

distant window.

19:27

How often was

19:30

the Apollo by some shrub

19:32

covered with snow, which like a

19:34

sheeted specter

19:35

beset his very path.

19:37

How

19:37

often did he shrink with curdling

19:39

ore of the sound of his own steps on

19:41

the frosty crust beneath his

19:44

feet

19:44

and dread? to

19:45

look over his shoulder lest he should

19:48

behold some uncouth

19:51

being trampling

19:52

close behind him. how

19:55

often will he thrown into complete

19:58

dismay by

19:58

some rushing blast howling among

20:00

the trees in the idea

20:03

that it was the galloping hessian and one

20:05

of

20:05

his knightly scarings. All

20:08

these, however,

20:09

were mere terrorists of the

20:11

night phantoms of the mind

20:13

that walk in darkness. though

20:15

he had seen many specters in his time

20:17

and been more than once beset

20:19

by Satan in diverse shapes,

20:21

in his lonely parambulations, yet

20:24

daylight put an end to all these evils,

20:26

and he would have passed the pleasant life

20:28

of it in despite of the devil

20:30

and all his works. if his path had

20:32

not been crossed

20:33

by a being

20:34

that causes more perplexity

20:37

to mortal man than

20:39

ghosts, goblins, and a whole race of

20:41

witches put together, and

20:43

that

20:43

was

20:46

a woman. Among

20:47

the musical disciples who assembled one evening

20:49

in each week to receive his instructions in

20:52

Psalmody was Katrina

20:54

Frangtassel, the

20:56

daughter and only child of a substantial

20:59

Dutch farmer. She

21:01

was a blooming glass of fresh

21:03

eighteen plump as a partridge

21:06

bright and melting a

21:08

rosy cheeked as one of her father's

21:10

peaches and universally

21:12

famed not merely for

21:15

her beauty. but

21:15

her vast expectations. She

21:17

was

21:18

with all a little

21:20

of a coquette as might be

21:22

perceived even in her dress, which was a mix

21:24

year of ancient and modern fashions

21:27

and most suited to

21:29

set off her charms. She

21:31

wore the ornaments of yellow

21:33

Hollow, which her great great

21:36

grandmother had brought over from

21:38

Saruman, the

21:39

tempting stomacher of the

21:41

old in time. and with all a

21:44

provokingly short peticoat to

21:45

display the prettiest foot

21:48

and ankle in

21:49

the country around.

21:51

It should've had a soft and

21:54

foolish heart towards the sex,

21:56

and it is not to be wondered that that

21:58

so tempting a

22:00

morsel soon found favor in his

22:02

eyes. More especially

22:04

after he had visited her in her

22:06

paternal mansion, old

22:08

Baltus von Tassel was a

22:10

perfect picture of a thriving, contented,

22:13

liberal Sharpe

22:15

farmer. He seldom it is true, sent either

22:17

his eyes or his thoughts beyond the

22:19

boundaries of his own farm but

22:21

within those, everything was

22:23

snug, happy, and well conditioned. He

22:25

was satisfied with his wealth, but not

22:27

proud of it. and piqued himself

22:29

upon the hearty abundance rather

22:31

than the style in which he

22:33

lived. His stronghold was

22:35

situated on the banks of the Hudson in one

22:37

of those green sheltered fertile

22:39

looks in which the Dutch farmers are

22:41

so fond of nestling. A

22:43

great

22:43

elm tree spread

22:45

its broad branches over it, at the

22:47

foot of which bubbled up a spring of

22:49

the softest and sweetest water.

22:51

that

22:51

babble that long among elders

22:54

and dwarf Hollow. Hard

22:56

by the farmhouse was a vast

22:58

demand that might have served for a

23:00

church every window and crevice of which seemed bursting

23:02

forth with the treasures of the farm.

23:04

The flail was busily resounding

23:06

within it from morning tonight.

23:09

swellows and martins skimmed twitering

23:11

about the eves, and rows of

23:13

pigeons, some with one eye turned up as

23:15

if watching the weather, Some with

23:17

their heads down under their wings

23:19

or buried in their bosoms, and

23:22

others swelling and cooing

23:24

and bowing about their dames. were

23:26

enjoying the sunshine on the

23:28

roof. Sleepy unwieldy

23:30

porkers were grunting in the repose

23:32

and abundance of their pens from

23:34

when salad fourth, now and then, troops

23:36

of sucking pigs as if to snuff

23:38

the air, a stately squadron

23:41

of snowy geese were riding in an

23:44

adjoining pond, convoying whole

23:46

fleets of ducks. Regiments

23:48

of turkeys were gobbling through

23:50

the farmyard, and guinea fowls

23:52

fretting about it like ill tempered

23:54

housewives with their peevish, discontinued

23:57

cry. Before the

23:57

barn door strutted the Gallant cock,

23:59

that pattern of a husband, a

24:02

warrior, and a fine gentleman clapping

24:04

his burnished wings and crowing in the

24:06

pride and gladness of

24:08

his heart, sometimes tearing up the earth with his

24:10

feet and then generously calling

24:12

his ever hungry family of wives and

24:14

children to enjoy the rich morsel

24:16

which he had discovered. The

24:18

pedagogue's

24:19

mouth watered as he looked upon

24:21

this sumptuous promise of luxurious winter

24:24

fare. In

24:25

his devouring mind's eye, he pictured to

24:28

himself every roasting pig

24:30

running about with a pudding in his

24:32

belly and an apple in his

24:34

mouth. The

24:34

pigeons were snugly put to bed in a comfortable

24:37

pie and tucked in with a

24:39

covetous crust. The

24:40

geese were swimming in their own

24:43

gravy and

24:43

the ducks Irving cozily in

24:46

dishes like snug married couples

24:48

with a decent competency of

24:50

onion sauce. In the porkers, he

24:52

saw carved out the future

24:53

sleek side of bacon and

24:56

juicy relishing ham. Not

24:58

a Turkey, but he beheld a daintily trussed

25:00

up with its gizzled under its wing

25:02

and put adventure a necklace

25:04

of savory sausages. an even

25:07

bright shaun to clear himself

25:09

by sprawling on his back in a

25:11

side dish with uplifted clothes

25:14

as if craving that quarter, which

25:16

is chivalrous spirit disdained to us

25:18

while living. As the

25:21

enraptured Eicobod fancied

25:23

all this, And

25:23

as he rolled his great green eyes

25:26

over the fat meadowlands, the

25:28

rich fields of wheat, of rye,

25:30

of buckwheat, and Indian

25:33

and the Orchids burdened with a ruddy

25:35

fruit, which surrounded

25:36

the warm tenement of Fung

25:39

Tassil. his

25:40

heart year end after the damsel who was

25:42

to inherit these domains.

25:44

And his

25:44

imagination expanded with the idea

25:47

how they might be

25:49

readily turned into cash, and the money

25:50

invested in immense tracts of wild

25:53

land and shingled palaces

25:55

in the wilderness. Nay, his busy

25:58

fancy already realized his hopes and

26:00

presented to him the blue moon

26:02

Katrina. For the whole family

26:04

of children, mounted on the top of

26:06

a wagon loaded with household

26:08

trampery, with pots and kettles

26:10

dangling beneath, and he beheld

26:12

himself by striding a pacing mayor

26:14

with a cultured her

26:16

heels, setting out for Kentucky,

26:18

Tennessee. All

26:19

the lord knows where.

26:22

When

26:22

he entered the house, the conquest of

26:24

his heart, was complete.

26:26

It was

26:26

one of those spacious farm

26:29

houses with high pitched but lowly

26:31

sloping roofs built in the style handed down from the

26:33

first dutch settlers, the low

26:35

projecting eaves forming a

26:37

piazza along the front capable

26:39

of being closed up in bad

26:41

weather. Under this were hung flails,

26:44

harness, various utensils, husbandry,

26:46

and nets for fishing in the neighboring

26:49

river. Ventures were built

26:51

along the sides for summer use, and a

26:53

great spinning wheel at one end

26:55

and a churn at the other showed

26:57

the various uses to which

26:59

this important porch might be

27:01

devoted. From

27:02

this piazza, the wandering Ikebaud

27:04

entered the hall which formed the center

27:06

of the mansion and the

27:07

place of usual residence.

27:10

Here,

27:10

rows of resplendent

27:12

pewter ranged on the long dresser

27:15

dazzled his eyes. In one

27:16

corner, stood a huge bag of

27:18

wool ready to be one, in

27:21

another a quantity of Lindsay,

27:23

Woolsey just from the loom. Years

27:25

of Indian corn and strings

27:27

of dried apples and peaches

27:29

hung in grayfish stumes along the walls

27:31

mingled with the gourd of red

27:33

peppers, and the door left the jar gave

27:35

him a peep into the best parlor

27:38

where the claw footed chairs and dark

27:40

mahogany tables shone

27:42

like mirrors and irons

27:44

with their accompanying shovel

27:47

and tongs glistened from

27:49

the covert of

27:51

asparagus tops. Mok orange juice

27:53

and conch shells decorated the

27:55

mantle Sleepy. Irving

27:57

of various colored birds eggs

27:59

were suspended above it. A great

28:02

ostrich egg was hung from the center of the

28:04

room and a corner cupboard knowingly

28:06

left open displayed

28:09

immense treasures of old

28:11

silver

28:11

and well mended China.

28:14

From

28:15

the moment Icabod laid his eyes

28:17

upon these regions of delight,

28:19

the peace of his mind was

28:21

at an end. and his only

28:24

study was out

28:24

again the effections

28:26

of the peerless daughter

28:29

of Fontasso. In this

28:30

enterprise, however, he had more

28:32

real difficulties than generally felt that

28:34

a lot of a night errant of your

28:36

who seldom had anything but giants and

28:39

chances, fiery dragons, and such

28:41

like easily conquered adversaries

28:43

to contend with. and had to make his way merely through gates

28:46

of iron and brass and walls of

28:48

adamant to the castle keep

28:50

where the lady of

28:50

his heart was confined.

28:53

all which

28:53

he achieved as easily as a man would

28:55

carve his way to the center of a Christmas

28:58

pie, and then the

28:58

lady gave him her hand as a matter

29:01

of course. ICABARD,

29:03

on the contrary,

29:05

had to win his way to the heart

29:07

of a country cadet, beset

29:09

with a labyrinth of whims and

29:12

Caprice's which were forever presenting new

29:14

difficulties and impediments, and he

29:16

had to encounter a host of faithful

29:18

adversaries of real flesh and blood

29:20

the numerous rustic admirers who beset

29:23

every portal to her heart

29:25

keeping a watchful and

29:27

angry eye upon each other.

29:30

but ready to fly out in the common cause against

29:32

any new competitor. Among

29:34

these, in the most formidable was

29:37

the burley, roaring, roistering

29:40

blade of the name of Abraham, or according

29:42

to the Dutch abbreviation, Brondt,

29:44

the hero

29:46

of the Country Round, which

29:48

rang with his feats of strength

29:50

and hardyhood. It was

29:51

broad shoulders and double jointed

29:54

with short curly black hair

29:56

and a bluff but not unpleasant

29:58

countenance having a mingled

29:59

era of fun and arrogance.

30:02

From

30:02

his herculean frame and

30:05

great powers of limbs, he had

30:07

received a nickname of Brombonds by

30:09

which she was universally known.

30:12

It was famed for great knowledge and skill

30:14

in horsemanship, being

30:16

as dextrous on horseback as a

30:18

tarta. He was foremost

30:20

at all races and cock fights and

30:22

with the ascendancy which bodily strength

30:24

always acquires in rustic life was the

30:27

unpironal disputes,

30:28

setting his hat on one side and giving his

30:31

decisions an air and tone that admitted

30:33

of no gainsay or

30:35

appeal. He was always

30:35

ready for either a fight or a

30:38

frolic, but had more

30:39

mischiefs near will in his

30:41

composition. with all his overbearing roughness,

30:43

there was a strong dash of waggish

30:45

good humor at bottom.

30:47

He had three or four boone companions

30:49

who regarded him as their model,

30:51

and at the head of whom he scoured the

30:54

country, attending every scene of

30:56

feudal merriment from miles around.

30:58

In cold weather, he was distinguished by

31:00

a fur cap surmounted with

31:02

a flaunting foxes' tail. I

31:04

wonder

31:04

folks at the country gathering describe

31:07

his well known crest at a

31:09

distance was skiing about among a squad of hard riders.

31:11

They always stood by for

31:13

a squall. Sometimes, his

31:15

crew would be heard dashing along

31:18

past the houses at midnight with Hoop and

31:20

Hulu, like a troop of Don

31:22

Cossacks. And the old James

31:24

startled out of their sleep

31:26

would listen for a moment till a hurry,

31:28

scurry, get clatted Legend then

31:30

exclaim, I, there goes,

31:32

brown bones and he's

31:34

gang. The

31:34

neighbors looked upon him with a mixture of awe,

31:36

admiration, and goodwill. And

31:38

when any

31:38

mad cap prank or rustic brawl

31:41

occurred in the vicinity, always shook

31:43

their heads, and warranted,

31:45

Braun Bones was at the bottom of

31:47

it.

31:49

This

31:49

rantipole hero had for

31:51

sometimes singled out the blooming

31:54

Katrina for the object of his

31:56

uncouth gallon trees. And

31:58

though his amorous toyings were

31:59

something like the gentle caresses and

32:02

endearments of a bear, yet

32:04

it was whispered that she did

32:06

not altogether discourage

32:08

his hopes. Certainties,

32:09

his advances were singles

32:11

for rival candidates to retire,

32:13

who felt no inclination to cross a

32:15

liar and neither mores.

32:17

In

32:17

so much that when his horse was

32:20

seen tied to van Tassel's paling

32:22

on a Sunday night, a sure

32:24

sign that his master was courting or

32:26

as it is termed Irving

32:29

within. All of the suitors passed

32:31

by in despair and

32:33

carried the war into

32:35

other quarters.

32:36

Such was the formidable rival

32:39

with whom Icabot crane had to

32:41

contend. And considering

32:43

all things, a stalter man

32:45

than he would have shrunk from the

32:47

competition, and a

32:48

wiser man would have

32:50

despaired He

32:51

had, however, a happy mixture

32:53

of pliability and perseverance in

32:55

his nature. He

32:56

was in Forman spirit like a

32:58

supple Irving yielding, but tough. Though

33:00

he bent, he never broke,

33:03

and though he bowed beneath the slightest

33:05

pressure, yet the moment it was away

33:08

jerk. He was as erect and

33:10

carried his head as high as ever.

33:12

in

33:15

the field openly against his rival would have

33:17

been madness. Or he was not a

33:19

man to be thwarted in his anymores

33:22

anymore than that stormy lover

33:24

Achilles. Ecabod

33:25

therefore made his advances in

33:27

a quiet and gently insinuating manner

33:31

under cover

33:31

of his character of singing master,

33:34

he made frequent visits at the farmhouse,

33:36

not as

33:36

that he had anything to apprehend from

33:39

the meddlesome interference of

33:41

parents, which is so often a stumbling block

33:43

in the path of lovers.

33:45

Bolt front tussle was an

33:47

easily indulgent soul. He

33:49

loved his daughter better even than his pipe.

33:52

And like

33:52

a reasonable man and an excellent father,

33:55

let her have her way in everything. His

33:57

notable little wife too had enough to do to attend

33:59

to her

33:59

housekeeping and manage her

34:02

poultry, four as she sagely

34:04

observed,

34:05

ducks and geese are foolish things

34:07

and must be looked after, but

34:10

girls can take care

34:12

of themselves. Thus,

34:14

while the busy day and bustling

34:16

about the house, applied a

34:18

spinning wheel at one end of

34:20

the piazza, honest bolt

34:22

would sit smoking his evening pipe at

34:24

the other, watching the achievements of

34:26

a little wooden warrior who armed with a

34:28

sword in each hand was most value eventually

34:31

fighting the wind on the pinnacle of the barn. In the

34:33

meantime, Ikebod

34:34

would carry on his suit with

34:36

the daughter by the side of the

34:39

spring under the great Hollow or

34:42

sarturing or sarturing

34:42

along in the twilight that

34:46

hour so favorable to the

34:48

lava eloquence. I

34:49

prefer not

34:50

to know how women's hearts

34:53

are wounded one. To me,

34:54

they have always been matters

34:57

of riddle and admiration.

34:59

Some seem to have but one fungible

35:01

point or door of access, while

35:04

others have a thousand avenues and may

35:06

be captured in a thousand

35:08

different ways. It is a great

35:10

triumph for skill to gain the

35:12

former, but a still greater proof of

35:14

generalship to maintain the

35:16

possession of the latter. for man

35:18

must battle for his fortress at every

35:20

door and window. He wins

35:22

a thousand common heart is therefore entitled

35:25

to some but he who keeps undisputed sway over

35:27

the heart of a croquettes is

35:30

indeed a

35:32

hero. Certain

35:33

it is, this was not

35:35

the case with the redoubtable

35:37

brom bones. And from the

35:39

moment, Ikebod crane made his

35:41

advances. the interests of the former

35:43

evidently declined. His horse

35:45

was no longer seen tied

35:47

to the Irving on

35:50

Sunday nights and a deadly feud gradually

35:52

arose between him and the

35:54

protector of

35:56

sleepy hollow.

35:56

Sleepy,

35:58

who had

35:59

a degree of rough chivalry

35:59

in his nature, would vain have carried

36:02

matters to open warfare and have

36:04

settled their pretensions

36:05

to the lady according

36:07

to the mode of those most concise

36:10

and simple of reasoners, the

36:12

night's

36:12

errand of your, by

36:13

single combat.

36:16

but

36:16

Icobot was too conscious of the superior might

36:18

of his adversary to enter the lists against

36:20

him. He had overheard a

36:22

boast of bones that he

36:26

would double the school master up and lay him

36:28

on the shelf of his own school house,

36:30

and he was too wary to give

36:32

him an

36:34

opportunity. There

36:35

was something extremely provoking in this optimally

36:37

Pacific system. It left Bahram no

36:39

alternative, but to draw upon the funds

36:41

of rustic waggory in

36:44

his position and to play off boorish practical

36:46

jokes upon his rival. Iqobad

36:48

became the object of whimsical

36:50

persecution to bones and his

36:53

gang of a rough riders. He

36:55

harried his hitherto peaceful domains, smoked

36:57

out his singing school by stopping

36:59

up the chimney, broke

37:02

into the schoolhouse at night in spite of

37:04

its formidable fastnings of wide and

37:07

window stakes turned everything

37:10

topsy-turvy so that the Post Gold Master

37:12

began to think all the witches in

37:14

the country held their meetings there.

37:16

But it was still more annoying. Bram

37:18

took all opportunities of turning him into ridicule in the

37:21

presence of his mistress and had

37:23

a scoundrel dog when he taught of

37:25

wine in the most ludicrous manner

37:28

and introduced as a rival of Icabod's to instruct

37:30

her Irving harmony. In

37:32

this way,

37:33

matters went on

37:34

for some time.

37:36

without

37:36

producing any material effect on the relative situations

37:39

of the contending powers.

37:42

On a fine

37:43

autumnal afternoon, Icabod

37:46

intensive mode, sat enthroned on the lofty

37:48

stool from whence he usually watched

37:50

all the concerns of his little literary

37:54

realm. In

37:54

his hand, he swayed the pharyal, that scepter

37:57

of despotic power. The birch

37:59

of

37:59

justice reposed

38:00

on three nails behind the

38:04

throne, a constant terror at evildoers, while on the desk

38:06

before him

38:07

might be seen sundry

38:09

contraband articles and

38:12

prohibited weapons detected

38:14

upon the persons of idle

38:16

urchins such as half munch

38:18

apples, hop

38:19

guns, whirly gigs,

38:20

fly cages, and

38:22

all legions of rampant little

38:25

paper game cocks. Apparently, there

38:26

had been some appalling act

38:29

of justice recently inflicted Boy's

38:31

scholars were all busily intent upon

38:33

their books or slightly whispering behind

38:35

them with one eye kept

38:37

upon the master. and

38:38

a kind of buzzing stillness rain throughout the

38:41

school room. It was suddenly interrupted by

38:42

the appearance of a negro in

38:44

tau cloth jacket and trousers Legend

38:48

crowned fragment of a hack like a cap of Mercury

38:50

and mounted on the back of

38:52

a ragged wild half broken coat

38:55

which he managed with a rope by way of a

38:58

halter. He came

38:58

clattering up to the school door with

39:00

an invitation to Icabod to attend a

39:03

merry making or quilting frolic to

39:05

be held that evening, get the mind here from

39:08

Tassels. And having delivered his

39:10

message with an air

39:12

of importance, he dashed over the brook

39:14

and was seen scampering away up the hollow full of the importance and hurry

39:17

of his mission. Oar

39:19

was now bustling hubba in the late quiet

39:22

schoolroom. The scholars were

39:23

hurried through their lessons

39:25

without stopping at trifles. Those

39:27

who were nimble skipped over half

39:29

with impunity and those who Sharpe Tardy had

39:31

a smart application now and then in the

39:33

rear to quicken their speed or help

39:35

them over a tall

39:38

word. Books were flung aside without

39:40

being put away on the shelves, ink

39:42

stands were

39:44

overturned, benches, thrown down, and the whole school was

39:46

turned loose an hour before the usual

39:48

time, bursting forth like a

39:50

legion of

39:52

young imps yelping and racking about the green

39:54

enjoy at their early

39:56

emancipation. The

39:58

Gallanticabod

39:59

the gallon a couple

39:59

now spent at least an extra half hour at his

40:02

toilet brushing and furbishing

40:04

up his best, an indeed

40:06

only

40:06

suit of rusty black.

40:09

and arranging his locks by a bit of

40:11

broken looking glass that hung up in

40:13

the schoolhouse that he might make his appearance

40:15

before his mistress in the true style

40:17

of a cavalier. He borrowed a

40:19

horse from the farmer with whom he was

40:22

domiciled, a clerical dutchman

40:24

of the name of Hans van Ruppert.

40:26

and thus gallantly mounted, issued forth like

40:28

a night errand in quest of adventures.

40:32

But it is meat

40:34

I should in the

40:36

true spirit of romantic story

40:38

gives some account of the looks

40:40

and equipments of my hero

40:42

and his

40:44

stead. The

40:44

animal he best strode was a broken down plough horse that

40:46

had outlived almost everything but

40:49

its viciousness. He

40:51

was gone and shaggered with a u neck

40:53

and a head like a hammer. His rusty mane and

40:55

tail were tangled and knotted with

40:57

birds. One eye had

41:00

lost its pupil and was glaring and spectral, but the

41:02

other had a

41:02

gleam of a genuine devil

41:05

in it. Still,

41:06

he must have had fire and metal in his day

41:08

if we made judge from the name he

41:11

bought of gunpowder. He had in fact

41:13

been a favorite state of

41:16

his masters the chaletic fur ripper who was a

41:18

furious rider and had infused very

41:20

probably some of his own spirit into

41:22

the animal. for

41:24

old and broken down as he looked. There

41:26

was more of the looking devil in

41:28

him than in any young Philly

41:31

in the country. ICABOD was a suitable figure for

41:33

such a state. He rode with

41:36

short stirrups which brought his knees nearly

41:38

up to the pommel of

41:40

the saddle. His sharp

41:42

elbows stuck out like

41:44

grasshoppers. He carried his

41:46

whip perpendicular in his hand like

41:48

a scepter. Legend as his horse

41:50

jogged on, the motion of his arms

41:52

was not unlike the flapping of a

41:54

pair of wings. A

41:56

small wall hat rested on the top of

41:58

his nose for so his scanty strip of forehead might be

41:59

called, and the skirts of his black

42:02

coat fluttered out almost to the

42:04

horse's tail.

42:06

Such was the appearance of Icabod and his steed as they

42:09

shambled out of the gate of

42:11

Hans Van Ripper. and

42:13

it was altogether such an aberration

42:16

as it seldom to be met with

42:19

in broad daylight. It was,

42:22

as I have said, a fine autumnal

42:24

day. The sky was clear

42:26

and serene and nature were that

42:28

rich in golden Livery, which we always associate with the idea of

42:30

abundance. The forests had

42:32

put on their sober brown and

42:34

yellow, while some trees of the

42:36

tenderer kind

42:38

had been nipped by the frost's into brilliant of orange,

42:41

purple, and scarlet.

42:44

Streaming files

42:45

of wild ducks began

42:47

to make their appearance high in the

42:49

air. The bark of the squirrel might

42:51

be heard from the groves of beach

42:53

and hickory nuts. and the pensive

42:55

whistle of the intervals from the neighboring stubblefield.

42:58

The small birds were taking their

43:02

farewell banquets In

43:03

the fullness of their revelry, they fluttered

43:05

chirping and frolicing from bush to

43:08

bush and tree to tree,

43:10

capricious from the very perfusion and

43:12

variety around them. There was the

43:14

honest cock robin, the favorite

43:16

game of Strickling Sportsman with

43:18

his loud, query less note,

43:20

and the twittering Blackbirds flying in

43:22

stable clouds and the

43:24

golden winged woodpecker with his

43:26

crimson crest, his broad black

43:28

gourgett, and

43:30

splendid plumage. and the cedar

43:32

bird with its red tipped wings and

43:34

yellow tipped tail and its little

43:36

Montero cap of feathers.

43:38

And the blue j, that noisy cock

43:40

comb in his gay light blue coat and

43:43

white under clothes, screaming and chattering,

43:46

Irving, and

43:47

and Irving, to

43:50

be good terms with every songster

43:52

of the grove. As

43:54

Ikebod

43:54

jogged slowly on his

43:57

way, Is I

43:57

ever open to every symptom

43:59

of culinary abundance ranged with

44:02

delights over the treasures of

44:04

jolly Autumn? On all

44:06

sides, he beheld vast stores of

44:08

apples. Some hanging in

44:10

oppressive opulence on the trees,

44:12

some gathered into baskets and

44:14

barrels for the market Others

44:16

heaped up in rich piles for the

44:18

cider press. Father on,

44:20

he beheld great fields of Indian corn

44:22

with its golden ears peeping from

44:25

their leafy cupboards and holding out the

44:27

promise of cakes and hasty pudding. And

44:29

the yellow pumpkins lying

44:32

beneath them turning up their fair round bellies to

44:34

the sun and giving ample

44:36

prospects of the most luxurious

44:38

of pies.

44:40

and a nun, he passed the fragrant buckwheat fields,

44:42

breathing the odor of the beehive,

44:44

and as he beheld them.

44:47

Soft anticipation stole over his

44:50

mind of dainty slap

44:52

jacks, well buttered and

44:54

garnished with honey

44:56

or treacle by the delicate,

44:58

little, dimpled hand of Katrina

45:00

Fan Tassel.

45:03

Thus, feeding his mind with many sweet thoughts

45:05

and sugared suppositions. He journeyed

45:08

along the sides of a range of hills, which look

45:10

out upon some of the goodliest

45:12

scenes of a

45:14

mighty hard The sun gradually

45:15

wheeled his broad disk down

45:17

into the west. The wide bosom

45:19

of

45:19

the Tappan's a lay

45:22

motionless and

45:24

accepting that here and there, a gentle undulation

45:26

Legend and prolonged the blue shadow

45:28

of the distant mountain.

45:31

A

45:31

few amber clouds floated in the

45:33

sky without a breath of air to

45:35

move them. The horizon was of

45:37

a fine golden Tony. changing

45:40

gradually into a pure apple

45:42

green. And from that, into

45:43

the deep blue of the mid heaven,

45:46

a

45:46

slanting ray lingered on the woody crests

45:48

of the press pisses that overhung

45:50

some parts of the Irving, giving greater depth

45:52

to the dark gray purple of their

45:54

rocky sides. A sloop

45:56

was loitering in the distance dropping slowly

45:58

down with the tide, a sail hanging

46:00

uselessly against the mast. And as

46:02

the reflection of the sky gleamed

46:05

along the still water, It

46:07

seemed as if the vessel was suspended in

46:09

the air. It was toward

46:11

evening that Ikebaud arrived at

46:13

the castle of the hare van Tessel

46:15

which he found thronged with the pride and flower of the adjacent

46:18

country. Old

46:19

farmers, a spare leather and face race

46:22

in homespun coats and breeches,

46:24

blue stockings, huge

46:26

shoes magnificent pewter

46:28

buckles. They're brisk, withered, little

46:30

dimes, in close crimped

46:32

caps, long, wasted,

46:34

short gowns, home spun petticoats with scissors and pin

46:36

cushions gay calico

46:38

pockets hanging on the

46:40

outside. Buck

46:41

some almost as antiquated as their

46:44

mothers accepting where a straw

46:46

hat, a fine ribbon, or

46:48

perhaps a white frog gave

46:50

symptoms of a city

46:52

innovation. The

46:52

sun's in short, square

46:54

skirted coats with rose of

46:57

stupendous brass buttons and their hair generally queued in the fashion

46:59

of the times, especially if they could procure

47:02

an eel skin for

47:04

the purpose. it Irving

47:06

throughout the country as a potent nourisher

47:08

and strengthener of the

47:11

hair. Bronn bones, however,

47:13

was the hero of the sink.

47:15

Having come

47:15

to the gathering on his favorite

47:18

daredevil, a creature

47:19

like himself full of metal and

47:22

mischief, and which no one but himself

47:24

could manage. He was

47:25

in fact noted for preferring vicious

47:28

animals. Given to

47:28

all kinds of tricks which kept

47:31

the rider in constant risk

47:33

of his neck, for

47:34

he held attractable, well broken horse

47:36

as unworthy of a lad

47:38

of spirit. Feign

47:40

would

47:40

oppose to dwell a on

47:42

the world of charms upon gaze of my

47:45

hero as he entered the

47:47

stakeholder of Phantasil's mansion.

47:50

not

47:50

those of the bevy of buksen lasses with their luxurious

47:53

display of red and white,

47:55

but the ample charms

47:57

of a genuine Dutch country

48:00

tea table in the sumptuous

48:02

time of autumn. Such

48:04

heaped

48:04

up platters of

48:06

cakes of

48:07

various and almost indescribable kinds

48:09

known only to experience Dutch

48:11

housewives. There was

48:13

a doubted doughnut the

48:15

tender oily cook, and the crisp and

48:18

crumbling cruler. Sweet cakes

48:20

and short cakes, ginger

48:22

cakes and honey cakes, and the

48:25

whole family of cakes. And then, there were

48:27

apple

48:27

pies and peach pies and

48:29

pumpkin pies besides slices of

48:31

ham and smoked

48:34

beef and more over delectable dishes of preserved

48:36

plums and peaches and

48:39

pears and quinces, not

48:41

to mention broiled shad and

48:44

roasted chickens. Together

48:46

with bowls of milk and cream,

48:49

all mingled hittled hittled

48:51

piggly, pretty much as I

48:53

have enumerated them with

48:55

the motherly sending up its clouds of vapor from

48:57

the midst. Evan bless the

48:59

mark. I want breath

49:01

and time to discuss this banquet as

49:04

it deserves and I'm too

49:06

eager to get on with my

49:08

story. Happily, Icabot Crane

49:10

was not in so great a hurry

49:13

as his historian. but

49:14

did ample justice to ever

49:16

eatain tea. He was

49:18

a kind

49:19

and thankful creature whose heart dilated

49:21

in proportion as his skin

49:23

was filled with a good cheer and

49:25

whose spirits rose with eating as

49:27

some men's do with drink. It

49:29

could not help to rolling his large eyes around

49:31

him as he ate and chuckling with the

49:34

possibility that he might one day

49:36

be lord of all

49:38

this scene of almost

49:40

unimaginable luxury and splendor.

49:42

Then he thought, how soon

49:44

he turned his back upon the

49:48

old schoolhouse? snap his fingers in the face of Hans Van

49:50

Ripper and every other negatively

49:52

patron and kick any

49:54

itinerant pedagogue out of doors

49:58

that should dare to call him comrade.

50:00

Old Baltus fun tassel

50:02

moved about among his guests with a

50:04

face dilated with content and

50:06

good humor round

50:08

and jolly as the harvest

50:10

moon. His

50:10

hospitable intentions were brief but

50:12

expressive being confined to a shake

50:14

of the hand a slap on the shoulder,

50:16

a loud laugh, and a

50:18

pressing invitation to fall too,

50:21

and help themselves.

50:23

and now the sound of the music from the common room

50:25

or hall summoned to the

50:28

dance, who had been

50:29

the itinerant orchestra of the neighborhood for

50:31

more than half a century. His

50:34

instrument was as old and battered as

50:36

himself. The greater part

50:37

of the time he scraped on

50:39

two or three strings accompanying every movement of the

50:41

bow with a motion of the head, bowing almost

50:43

to the ground and stamping with

50:45

his foot whenever a fresh couple

50:47

were to start.

50:50

Ecabod

50:50

prided himself upon his dancing as much as

50:52

upon his vocal powers. Not a

50:55

limb, not a fiber

50:56

about him was idle.

50:59

and

50:59

to have seen his loosely hung

51:01

frame in full motion and

51:03

clattering about the room, you

51:05

would have thought Synvitus

51:07

himself that blessed patron of the dance was

51:10

figuring before you in

51:12

person. How could the flogger

51:13

of urchins be otherwise

51:15

an animated enjoyable The

51:17

lady

51:17

of his heart was his partner in

51:20

the dance, and smiling

51:21

graciously and replied to all

51:23

his amorous oldlings, while brom

51:26

bones Sleepy smitten

51:28

with love and jealousy sat

51:30

brooding by

51:31

himself

51:33

in one corner. When the dance was at an

51:35

end, Icabod was attracted to a naught of the sager folks who,

51:38

with old Farm Pastel, sat smoking

51:40

at one end of

51:42

the Piazza. gossiping over

51:44

former times and drawing out

51:46

long stories about the war.

51:49

This neighborhood at the time of

51:51

which I'm speaking was one of those highly favored places which are

51:53

bound with chronicled and great men.

51:55

The British and American

51:56

line had run near it during

52:00

the war, It had therefore been the scene of maroding and

52:02

infested with refugees, cowboys,

52:04

and all kinds of border chivalry.

52:07

Just sufficient time had elapsed to

52:09

enable each storyteller to dress up his toe

52:11

with a little becoming fiction, and

52:13

in the Irving distinctiveness

52:15

of his recollection, to make himself the hero of

52:17

every exploit. There was the

52:19

story of

52:20

Dahoo marketing a large

52:23

blue bearded Dutchman, who had nearly

52:26

taken a British frigate with an old iron nine pounder from a mud breastwork

52:28

only that he's gun burst

52:30

at the sixth discharge. Legend

52:34

there was an old gentleman who shall be nameless being too

52:36

rich, I'm in here to be likely mentioned,

52:38

who in the battle of white planes

52:40

being an excellent master

52:43

of defense parried musket ball with a small

52:45

sword. In so in so much that

52:47

he absolutely felt it whizz around the

52:49

blade and glanced off at

52:52

the hilt, in proof of which he was ready at any time to show the

52:54

sword with the hilt or a little

52:56

bent. There were several more that had

52:58

been equally great in

53:00

the field, not one of whom but was persuaded that he

53:02

had a considerable hand in bringing the

53:04

war to a

53:06

happy termination. all

53:08

these were nothing to the tales

53:10

of ghosts and apparitions that succeeded.

53:12

The neighborhood is rich

53:14

in legendary treasures of the kind,

53:17

Local

53:17

tales and superstitions thrive best

53:20

in these sheltered, long, settled

53:22

retreats, but are trampled

53:23

on the foot by the

53:25

shifting thronged a population of most of our country

53:27

places. Besides, there's no encouragement

53:30

for ghosts in most of

53:32

our villages. but

53:33

they have scarcely had time to finish their

53:35

first nap and turn themselves in their

53:37

graves before their surviving friends have

53:39

traveled away from the neighborhood so

53:41

that when they turn out at night to walk their

53:43

rounds, they have no acquaintance left to call

53:46

upon. This is

53:47

perhaps the reason while

53:49

we so seldom hear of

53:51

ghosts except in our long

53:53

established Dutch

53:56

communities. The

53:56

immediate cause, however, of the prevalence of supernatural stories in

53:58

these parts, was

53:59

doubtful owing to

54:01

the vicinity of sleepy

54:04

hollow. There was a contagion

54:06

in the very air that

54:08

blew from that haunted region.

54:10

It breathed forth an

54:13

atmosphere of dreams. and fancies infecting all the

54:16

land. Several of the

54:18

sleepy

54:18

hollow people were present at Van

54:22

and as usual, were doling out their wild and wonderful legends.

54:24

Many dismal tales

54:26

were told about funeral

54:28

trains. and Irving

54:30

cries and wailings heard and seen

54:32

about the great tree where the

54:35

unfortunate major Andrea was taken and

54:37

which stood in the neighborhood.

54:39

Some

54:39

mention was made also of the woman in

54:42

white that haunted the dark

54:44

glen at Ravenrock and was

54:46

often

54:46

her to shriek on winter nights before

54:48

a storm having perished there

54:50

in the snow.

54:52

The chief parts

54:53

of the stories, however, turned

54:56

upon

54:56

the favorite specter of sleepy hollow,

54:58

the headless

54:59

horsemen who had been heard

55:01

several times of late

55:03

patrolling the country

55:05

it was said, tethered

55:06

his horse nicely among the

55:09

graves in the churchyard.

55:12

The sequestered situation of

55:14

this church seems always to have made it a favorite haunt of

55:16

troubled spirits. It stands

55:18

on a gnoll surrounded by

55:20

locust trees and lofty elms.

55:23

among its decent whitewashed wall

55:26

shine modestly forth by

55:29

Christian

55:29

purity beaming through

55:31

the shades of retirement. A

55:33

gentle slope descends from it to a silver sheet

55:36

of water, bordered by high

55:38

trees between which, peeps may

55:40

be caught at the blue hills of

55:42

the Hudson. to look upon

55:44

its grass grown yard where sun

55:46

beams seem to sleep so

55:48

quietly. One would think

55:50

that they're at least

55:52

the dead. my dressed in

55:54

peace. On one

55:55

side of the church extends a

55:57

wide wooden dow, along which raves

55:59

a

55:59

large brook among broken rock and trunks fallen

56:02

trees. Over a deep

56:04

black part of the stream, not far

56:06

from

56:06

the church, was formerly thrown a

56:10

wooden bridge, The

56:10

road that led to it and the bridge itself were thickly

56:12

shaded by overhanging trees, which

56:14

cast a gloom about it even

56:17

in the daytime. but

56:20

occasioned a

56:20

fearful darkness at night.

56:23

Such was one of the favorite horns of

56:26

the headless horsemen and the

56:28

place where he was most frequently

56:30

encountered. The tale was

56:32

told of old brewer,

56:34

a most heretical disbeliever

56:37

in ghosts, how he met the horseman returning from

56:39

his foray into sleepy hollow

56:41

and was obliged to get

56:43

up behind him. how they galloped over bush

56:45

and brake over and swamp until he

56:48

reached the bridge. When the

56:50

horsemen suddenly turned into

56:52

a skeleton, threw old

56:54

brewer into the brook

56:56

and sprang away over the tree

56:58

tops with a clap

57:00

of thunder. This story was immediately matched by a thrice

57:02

marvelous adventure of Braun

57:04

Bones who made light of the galloping

57:06

hessian as an

57:08

errand jockey. He affirmed that

57:10

on returning one night from the neighboring

57:12

village of Singh. He had been

57:14

overtaken

57:14

by this midnight trooper that

57:16

he had offered

57:16

to race with him for a

57:19

bowl of punch and should have wanted to for dead, it

57:21

will beat the goblin horsehold

57:23

hollow. But just as they came to

57:25

the Churchbridge, the

57:28

Hessian bolted and vanished

57:30

in a

57:30

flash of fire.

57:32

All these

57:33

tales told in that draugsy

57:36

undertone with which men talk

57:38

in the dark, the countenances

57:40

of the listeners only now and then

57:42

receiving a casual gleam

57:44

from declare of a pipe. sank

57:46

deep into the mind of Ikebod. He

57:48

repaid him in kind with

57:50

large extracts from his invaluable

57:53

author, Cotton Mayher, and added

57:56

many marvelous events that had taken

57:58

place in his native state of

58:00

Connecticut and fearful sites, which

58:02

he had seen. in his nightly

58:04

walks about sleepy hollow.

58:06

The

58:06

rebel now gradually broke

58:08

up. The old farmers gathered together

58:11

their families in their wagons and were

58:13

heard for some time rattling along the roads and over

58:15

the distant hills. Some of the damsels

58:17

mounted

58:17

on billions behind their

58:20

favorite swanes, and

58:21

their lighthearted laughter mingling with the clatter

58:23

of hooves echoed along the

58:26

silent woodlands, sounding fainter

58:29

and fainter until They gradually died away,

58:31

and the late scene of noise

58:32

and frolic was all silent and

58:36

deserted. ICABOD only lingered

58:38

behind according to the custom of country

58:40

lovers to have a tat to tat with

58:42

the ARS, fully convinced that he was

58:44

now on the high road to success. What

58:48

past this interview I will not

58:50

pretend to say for? In

58:52

fact, I

58:52

do not know. Something,

58:54

however, I fear me,

58:56

must have gone wrong. But he certainly

58:58

sallied forth

58:58

after no very great interval with

59:00

an air quite desolate and

59:04

chap forward. Oh,

59:06

these women. These

59:08

women could

59:09

that girl have been playing

59:12

off any of her

59:14

cassettes tricks?

59:15

What's her

59:16

encouragement of the poor pedagogue,

59:18

all Amir Shah, to secure

59:20

her conquest of his rival? Legend

59:24

only knows, not aye.

59:26

Let it suffice

59:27

to say, Icabod's stole forth with the

59:29

air of one who'd been sucking

59:31

a hand roost. rather than a

59:34

fair lady's heart. Without

59:35

looking to the right or left to notice

59:38

the scene of rural wealth on which

59:40

she has so often bloated, He went straight to

59:42

the stable and with several

59:43

hearty cuffs and kicks, roused

59:45

his stead most precuriously

59:48

from the comfortable quarters in

59:50

which you were soundly sleeping, dreaming of mountains

59:53

of corn and oats, and a whole valleys

59:55

of timothy and clover.

59:58

a witching

1:00:00

time of night at Ikebaud,

1:00:02

heavy hearted and crestfallen,

1:00:04

the duties traveled homewards, along

1:00:07

the sides of the lofty hills

1:00:09

which rise above Tarrytown and

1:00:11

which he had traversed so

1:00:13

cheerily in the

1:00:15

afternoon. The hour was as dismal

1:00:17

as himself. Far below him,

1:00:19

the Tappanbare spread its dusky

1:00:21

and in distinct waste

1:00:24

of waters, with

1:00:24

here and there the tall mast of a sloop

1:00:26

riding quietly at anchor under the land. In the

1:00:29

dead hush of

1:00:30

midnight, He

1:00:32

could even hear the barking of the watchdog from the opposite shore of

1:00:35

the Hudson. But it was so vague

1:00:37

and faint as

1:00:37

only to give an idea

1:00:39

of his distance from this faithful

1:00:42

companion of man.

1:00:43

Now and then two, the long

1:00:46

drawn crowing of a cock

1:00:48

accidentally awakened would sound

1:00:50

far, far off from some

1:00:52

farmhouse away among the hills. But

1:00:53

it was like a dreaming sound in

1:00:56

his ear. No

1:00:56

signs of life occurred near him, but occasionally, the

1:00:59

melancholy chipped of

1:00:59

a cricket, or perhaps the

1:01:02

guttural twang of a bullfrog from a

1:01:04

neighboring Sharpe

1:01:06

as

1:01:07

he's sleeping uncomfortable and suddenly turning in

1:01:09

his bed. All the

1:01:11

stories of

1:01:14

ghosts and goblins that he had heard in the afternoon came

1:01:16

crowding upon his recollection.

1:01:18

The night looked darker

1:01:21

and darker. Sharpe

1:01:23

stars seemed to sink deeper in the

1:01:26

sky, and driving clouds

1:01:28

occasionally hit them from his side.

1:01:31

He

1:01:31

had never felt so lonely

1:01:33

in dismal. He

1:01:34

was, however, approaching the

1:01:38

very place where many of the scenes of the ghost stories have

1:01:40

been laid.

1:01:42

In the center of the road stood an

1:01:45

enormous tulip tree, which towered like a giant above all

1:01:47

the other trees of the neighborhood and formed a kind of

1:01:50

landmark. Its limbs

1:01:52

were gnarled and fantastic. large

1:01:55

enough to form trunks for ordinary

1:01:58

trees, twisting down

1:02:00

almost to the earth and

1:02:02

rising again into

1:02:04

the air. It was connected with the tragical story of the

1:02:06

unfortunate Andrey who had been taken

1:02:08

prisoner hard by and was

1:02:10

universally known by the name of

1:02:12

major Andrey's tree.

1:02:14

The common people regarded it with a

1:02:16

mixture of respect and superstition, partly out

1:02:19

of sympathy for the fate of

1:02:21

its ill starred namesake and

1:02:23

partly from the

1:02:24

tales of strange sites

1:02:27

and doubtful lamentations told

1:02:30

concerning it.

1:02:31

As Ikebod

1:02:32

approached this fearful tree,

1:02:34

he began

1:02:35

to whistle. He thought

1:02:37

his whistle was answered, It

1:02:39

was but a blast

1:02:41

sweeping sharply through the

1:02:43

dry branches. As he approached

1:02:45

a little nearer, He thought

1:02:47

he saw something white hanging in the

1:02:50

midst of the tree. He

1:02:52

paused and ceased whistling, but on

1:02:54

looking more

1:02:56

narrowly perceived that it was the place

1:02:58

where the tree had been scaled by lightning and a white wood laid

1:03:02

bare. Suddenly,

1:03:04

he had a groan,

1:03:06

his teeth

1:03:07

chatted, and his

1:03:08

knees smote against the

1:03:11

saddle. It was but the rubbing of one huge bow

1:03:13

upon another as they were swayed about by

1:03:15

the breeze. They passed the

1:03:17

tree in safety.

1:03:19

but

1:03:19

new perils lay before

1:03:22

him. About two

1:03:22

hundred yards from the tree, the small

1:03:25

brook crossed the road and ran into

1:03:27

a marshy and thickly wooded glen known

1:03:29

by the name of Wiley's

1:03:32

swamp. A few

1:03:32

rough logs laid side by side

1:03:34

served for a bridge over this

1:03:37

stream. On that side

1:03:37

of the road where the Brook entered the

1:03:40

wood, a group of oaks and

1:03:42

chestnuts, matted thick with wild

1:03:44

grapevines, threw a cavernous gloom

1:03:46

over it. To

1:03:47

pass this bridge was the

1:03:50

severest trial. It

1:03:52

was

1:03:52

a disidentical spot that the

1:03:55

unfortunate Andrey was captured and

1:03:57

under the covered of those chestnuts and

1:03:59

vines with a sturdy yum and

1:04:02

concealed who surprised

1:04:04

him. This has ever since been considered a haunted

1:04:06

stream and fearful other

1:04:08

feelings of the schoolboy

1:04:10

who has to pass it alone.

1:04:14

after

1:04:14

dark. As he approached the stream, his

1:04:17

heart began to thump. He summoned up,

1:04:19

however, all his resolution.

1:04:22

gave

1:04:22

he scores half a score of kicks in the ribs and attempted to dash

1:04:24

briskly across the bridge. But instead

1:04:27

of starting forward,

1:04:27

the perverse old animal made

1:04:30

a lot rule movement and

1:04:32

ran broadside against the

1:04:34

fence. Ikebod,

1:04:34

whose fears increased with the delayed

1:04:36

jerk the reins on the other side, and

1:04:39

kicked lustily with the contrary foot.

1:04:41

It was all in vain. It

1:04:43

stead Sharpe. It is true, but it

1:04:45

was only to plunge at the opposite side of the road into a

1:04:47

thicket of brambles and Legend bushes.

1:04:50

The school master now bestowed both

1:04:53

whip and heal upon the startling ribs of

1:04:55

old gunpowder, who dashed forward,

1:04:58

snuffling, and snorting, but

1:05:00

came to a stand just by the

1:05:02

bridge with a suddenness that

1:05:04

had nearly sent his riders sprawling

1:05:06

over his head. Just at

1:05:07

this moment,

1:05:08

a flashy tramp by the side of the

1:05:10

bridge caught the sensitive EriVica

1:05:12

pod. In the dark shadow of the

1:05:13

grove, on the margin of

1:05:15

the

1:05:15

Brook, he beheld

1:05:17

something

1:05:18

huge.

1:05:20

misshapen,

1:05:20

and towering. It stood not,

1:05:23

but seemed gathered

1:05:23

up in the gloom, like some

1:05:26

gigantic monster ready to spring

1:05:28

upon the

1:05:30

traveler. The hair of

1:05:31

the affrighted pedagogue rose upon his head with

1:05:33

terror. What was to be done?

1:05:35

The turn

1:05:35

and fly was now

1:05:36

too late and besides what chance

1:05:39

was there of escaping ghost or goblin if

1:05:42

such it was, which could ride on the

1:05:44

wings of the wind.

1:05:46

Summing up therefore a show of courage

1:05:48

he demanded in stammering

1:05:50

accents. Who who are

1:05:52

you? He received

1:05:54

no reply. He began his

1:05:56

demand

1:05:56

in a still more agitated voice

1:05:59

still. There was

1:06:01

no answer. Once more, he

1:06:03

cudgel the sides of

1:06:05

the inflexible gunpowder, and shutting

1:06:07

his eyes broke forth with the involuntary fervor into a sound

1:06:10

tune, just

1:06:12

then.

1:06:12

this man The shadowy object

1:06:15

of alarm put itself in motion and with

1:06:17

a scramble

1:06:17

and a bound stood at once

1:06:20

in the middle of

1:06:22

the road. Though the

1:06:24

night

1:06:25

was dark and dismal.

1:06:27

Yet

1:06:28

the form of the unknown might now

1:06:30

in some degree be ascertained

1:06:33

He appeared to be

1:06:36

a horseman of large dimensions

1:06:38

and mounted on a black horse of

1:06:40

powerful frame He made no

1:06:42

offer of molestation or

1:06:44

sociability that kept

1:06:45

aloof on one side

1:06:47

of the road jogging along on the blind side of

1:06:49

old gunpowder, who had now got over his fright and way

1:06:52

witness.

1:06:54

Ikebod,

1:06:54

the keyboard who had

1:06:55

no relish for this strange midnight

1:06:58

companion. Now,

1:06:58

bethought himself of the adventure of

1:07:01

Braun bones with the Galapaying hessian. now

1:07:03

quickened

1:07:03

his stead in hopes of leaving him

1:07:06

behind. The stranger, however,

1:07:07

quickened his horse to

1:07:09

an equal pace. Ikebod

1:07:11

pulled up and fell into

1:07:13

a walk thinking to lag behind.

1:07:15

The other did

1:07:16

the same. His heart

1:07:17

began to sink within him He

1:07:19

endeavored to resume his sound tune, but his

1:07:22

parched tongue clove to the roof

1:07:24

of his mouth, and he could

1:07:26

not utter

1:07:28

a stave There was something in the moody and dogged

1:07:30

silence of this pertinacious

1:07:32

companion that was mysterious

1:07:34

mysterious and appalling.

1:07:37

It was soon

1:07:37

faithfully accounted for. On

1:07:40

mounting a rising ground, which

1:07:42

brought the figure of his fellow traveler in

1:07:44

relief against

1:07:46

gigantic in height and muffled in a

1:07:48

cloak, Ikebaud was

1:07:49

horror struck on perceiving that

1:07:51

he was headless.

1:07:54

but

1:07:54

his horror was still more increased than observing

1:07:55

that the head which should have rested upon

1:07:58

his shoulders was carried

1:07:59

before him on the pommel of

1:08:02

his saddle

1:08:04

His terror

1:08:05

rose to desperation. He rained a shower of

1:08:07

kicks and blows upon gunpowder hoping by

1:08:09

a sudden movement to give

1:08:11

his companion

1:08:12

the slip.

1:08:14

But the

1:08:15

Spectre started to full jump with him, away then they dashed through thick

1:08:17

and

1:08:17

thin, stones flying, and

1:08:20

sparks flashing

1:08:23

at every bound. Icobot's

1:08:24

flimsy garments flooded in the air as he

1:08:26

stretched his long, long body away over

1:08:29

his horse's head

1:08:31

in the eagerness of

1:08:33

his flight. They had now reached the road which turns off to sleepy holler, but gunpowder

1:08:35

who seemed possessed with a

1:08:38

demon instead of keeping up

1:08:40

it made

1:08:42

an opposite turn and plunged headlong

1:08:44

downhill to the left. This road leads

1:08:46

through a sandy hollow shaded by

1:08:48

trees for about a quarter of

1:08:51

a mile where he crosses the bridge famous in goblin story. And

1:08:53

just beyond, swells the

1:08:55

green no on which

1:08:58

stands the whitewashed Church. As

1:09:01

yet, the panic of the steed had given his

1:09:03

unskilledful rider and apparent advantage in the chase. But just

1:09:05

as he had got halfway

1:09:07

through the Hollow, the

1:09:10

girths of the saddle gave way, and he

1:09:12

felt it slipping from under him. He

1:09:14

seized it by the pommel and

1:09:17

endeavored to hold it firm, but

1:09:19

in vain. and had just time to save himself by clasping old gunpowder

1:09:21

around the neck when the saddle fell

1:09:23

to the earth and he

1:09:25

heard it trampled underfoot by

1:09:28

his pursuer. For a

1:09:30

moment, the terror of hands found the Ripper's wrath passed across his mind for it was his Sunday saddle.

1:09:34

it was his sunday saddle But

1:09:36

this was no time for

1:09:38

petty fears Sharpe goblin was hard upon his hornets and unskilledful rider as

1:09:44

he was He had much to do to

1:09:46

maintain his seat, sometimes slipping on one side, sometimes on another, and

1:09:48

sometimes joted on the high

1:09:50

ridge of his horse's backbone with

1:09:53

a violence that he Verily feared would cleave him asunder. An

1:09:55

opening in the trees now cheered him

1:09:57

with the hopes

1:09:58

that the Church Bridge was

1:09:59

at hand.

1:10:03

The

1:10:03

wavering reflection of a silver star in the

1:10:05

bosom of the brook had told him

1:10:07

that he was not mistaken.

1:10:10

He

1:10:10

saw the walls of the church dimly glaring

1:10:12

under the trees beyond. He recollected

1:10:14

the place where Braun bones

1:10:17

is ghostly competitor

1:10:20

had disappeared.

1:10:20

if I can but

1:10:22

reach that bridge thought, I am safe. i

1:10:24

am

1:10:26

this then Just then. he heard the

1:10:27

black steed panting and blowing close

1:10:30

behind him. He even

1:10:32

fancied that he

1:10:34

felt his hot breath. Another convulsive

1:10:37

kick in the ribs and old gunpowder sprang

1:10:39

upon the bridge. He thundered over the resounding planks.

1:10:41

He gained the

1:10:44

opposite side Legend now

1:10:46

Icapod cast a look behind to see if his pursuer should vanish

1:10:48

according to rule in a

1:10:50

flash of fire in brimstone. Just

1:10:56

then,

1:10:56

he saw the

1:10:57

goblin rising in his lips and

1:10:59

in the very act

1:11:01

of hurling his head at

1:11:03

him. ICABOD endeavored to dodge the

1:11:03

horrible missile, but too

1:11:06

late. It

1:11:07

encountered this

1:11:09

cranium with

1:11:11

a tremendous crash It

1:11:12

was tumbled headlong into

1:11:14

the dust and gunpowder, the black steed, and

1:11:18

the goblin

1:11:20

rider. passed by like a

1:11:22

whirlwind. The next morning, the old horse was

1:11:24

found without

1:11:28

its saddle. And

1:11:28

with the bridle under his feet,

1:11:30

soberly cropping the grass at his master's gate, Iqabod did not

1:11:33

make his appearance

1:11:36

at breakfast. dinner hour came, but no

1:11:37

liquor board. The boys assembled at the

1:11:39

schoolhouse and strolled idly about the

1:11:41

banks of the Brook,

1:11:43

but no

1:11:44

schoolmaster. Hansfound

1:11:46

gripper now began to

1:11:48

feel some uneasiness about the

1:11:50

fate of poor

1:11:51

Icabod and

1:11:53

his saddle. An

1:11:53

inquiry was set on foot, and after diligent investigation that came upon

1:11:55

his traces. In one part of the

1:11:58

road leading to the church

1:11:59

was found saddle

1:12:03

trampled in the dirt, the tracks of

1:12:05

horses hooves deeply dented in the

1:12:07

road and evidently at furious

1:12:09

speed were

1:12:10

traced to the bridge.

1:12:12

Beyond which,

1:12:13

on the bank of a broad part of the Brook, where the

1:12:15

water ran deep and black, was found a heart of the unfortunate

1:12:17

Iqibod and closed

1:12:20

beside it. a

1:12:21

shattered pumpkin. The Brook was searched, but the body of

1:12:23

the school master was not to be discovered,

1:12:24

and Farnborough

1:12:26

as executor of his state

1:12:30

examined the bundle which contained all these worldly

1:12:33

effects. They consisted of two shirts

1:12:35

and a half, two

1:12:37

stocks for the neck. A

1:12:38

pair or two of worsted stockings, an

1:12:40

old pair of corduroy small

1:12:42

clothes, a rusty razor, a

1:12:45

book

1:12:45

of Sam Toons

1:12:47

full of doggies, and

1:12:48

a broken pitch pipe. As to the

1:12:50

books and

1:12:50

the furniture of the schoolhouse, they belong to the community accepting

1:12:52

Cotton May this

1:12:55

history of witchcraft, a new

1:12:57

England Almanac, and a book of dreams and fortune telling, in which last was a

1:12:59

sheet of full

1:13:04

sky much scrippled Legend in

1:13:06

several fruitless attempts to make a copy of Versus in honor

1:13:09

of the heiress

1:13:12

of montagell. These magic books

1:13:14

the poetic scroll were forth with consigned to the flames by Hans Panloper,

1:13:17

who, from

1:13:19

that moment forward, determined

1:13:21

to send his children no more to school, observing

1:13:23

that he never knew any good come of the same reading

1:13:28

and writing. whatever money the

1:13:30

school must have possessed. And he had received his quarters pay but a day

1:13:31

or two before, he must have had it about

1:13:33

his person at

1:13:34

the time of his disappearance.

1:13:39

The mysterious event

1:13:39

caused much speculation at the church

1:13:42

on the following Sunday. Lots of

1:13:44

gazes

1:13:44

and gossips were

1:13:47

collected in the churchyard at the bridge

1:13:49

and at

1:13:49

the spot where the hat and pumpkin had been found. The stories

1:13:51

of brewer of bones and

1:13:53

a whole budget of others

1:13:55

were called to mind, Legend

1:13:57

when they had diligently considered them all

1:13:59

and compared them with the symptoms of the present case, they

1:14:03

shook their heads. and

1:14:05

came to the conclusion that Ikebaud had been

1:14:07

carried off by the galloping hessian. As he was

1:14:10

a bachelor and

1:14:11

in nobody's debt, Nobody

1:14:14

troubled his head anymore about him.

1:14:16

The school was a move to a

1:14:18

different quarter of the Hollow and

1:14:21

another pedagogue rained in his stead.

1:14:23

It's true, an old farmer who had been down

1:14:25

to New York on a visit several

1:14:27

years after, and from whom this

1:14:30

account of the ghostly adventure was

1:14:32

received, brought home the

1:14:34

intelligence that Ikebod crane was still alive, that he had left the neighborhood partly through

1:14:36

fear of

1:14:37

the goblin and

1:14:39

Hans van Ripper Legend

1:14:42

partly in mortification of having been suddenly dismissed by the ARS that he had changed Irving

1:14:44

quarters to a distant

1:14:47

part

1:14:47

of the country. had

1:14:50

kept school and studied law at the same

1:14:53

time, had been admitted to the

1:14:55

bar, turned politician, electioneers, written

1:14:58

for the newspapers and finally had

1:15:00

been made a justice of the

1:15:02

ten pound court. Braun bones, two,

1:15:05

who shortly after his rivals

1:15:07

disappearance, conduct did the Katrina in triumph to

1:15:09

the altar was observed to

1:15:11

look exceedingly knowing whenever

1:15:13

the story of Icabod

1:15:16

was related. and

1:15:18

always burst into a hearty laugh at the mention of the which some

1:15:22

to suspect.

1:15:25

then

1:15:25

he knew more about the matter than

1:15:27

he chose to tell. The old country wives, however,

1:15:29

who are the best judges

1:15:31

of these matters, maintained

1:15:34

to this day that Icabod

1:15:37

was spirited away by

1:15:39

supernatural means. And it is

1:15:41

a favorite story often told about the

1:15:44

neighborhood around the winter evening fire,

1:15:46

the bridge became more than ever

1:15:49

an object of superstitious awe.

1:15:51

and that might be the reason why the road has been altered of

1:15:53

late years, so as to approach the

1:15:56

church by

1:15:58

the border of the mill pond. The school deserted

1:16:00

soon fell to decay and was

1:16:02

reported to be haunted

1:16:03

by the ghost

1:16:06

of the unfortunate pedagogue. and

1:16:08

the plow boy, loitering a homeward

1:16:10

of a still summer evening, has often fancied his

1:16:13

voice at

1:16:16

a distance. chanting

1:16:17

a melancholy sound tune

1:16:19

among the tranquil solitudes

1:16:20

among the tranquil so much aids

1:16:23

of sleepy hollow.

1:16:25

Postscript

1:16:25

found in the handwriting

1:16:27

of mister Knickerbocker. The

1:16:29

preceding tell is

1:16:32

given almost in

1:16:34

the precise words in which I heard

1:16:36

it related at Corporation meeting at the ancient city of

1:16:38

Manhattos, at which were present many of its sages in most

1:16:40

illustrious burgers.

1:16:43

The narrator was a pleasant, shabby, gentlemen, fellow

1:16:46

in pepper and salt clothes with

1:16:49

a certainly humorous face. and one whom

1:16:51

I strongly suspected to being poor. He

1:16:54

made such

1:16:54

efforts to be entertaining. When

1:16:57

his story

1:16:57

was concluded, there was much laughter

1:16:59

and affirmation, particularly from two or three deputy older

1:17:02

men who had been asleep the greater

1:17:04

part of

1:17:06

the time. There

1:17:06

was, however, one tall, dry

1:17:08

looking old gentleman with beechling

1:17:11

eyebrows, who maintained

1:17:12

a grave and

1:17:15

rather severe face throughout. now

1:17:16

and then folding his arms, inclining his

1:17:18

head and looking down upon the floor as

1:17:19

if turning a doubt over

1:17:22

in his mind. It was one of your wary men

1:17:24

who never laugh, but upon good

1:17:26

grounds, when I have reason and

1:17:30

law on their side. When the mirth of the

1:17:31

rest of the company had subsided and

1:17:34

silence was restored, he

1:17:36

leaned one arm on

1:17:38

the elbow of his chair. and

1:17:40

sticking the otherKimbo demanded with a slight and

1:17:42

but exceedingly sage motion of the head and

1:17:46

contraction of the brow. What

1:17:48

was the moral of the story? And

1:17:50

what it went to prove? The story teller, he was just

1:17:52

putting a glass of wine to

1:17:54

his lips as refreshment after his toils

1:17:58

paused

1:17:58

for a moment,

1:17:59

looked at his enquirer with an

1:18:02

air of infinite deference and lowering

1:18:04

the glass slowly to the

1:18:06

table, observed that the story was intended

1:18:08

most logically to prove. That

1:18:11

there is no situation in

1:18:13

life but has its

1:18:15

advantages and pleasures. provided we will

1:18:18

but take a joke as refined it. But therefore,

1:18:20

he

1:18:21

that runs

1:18:23

races with goblin troopers is likely to

1:18:26

have a rough riding of it.

1:18:28

Ergo, the

1:18:30

ago for

1:18:31

a country school master to be refused the hand of

1:18:33

a Dutch heiress is a certain

1:18:35

step to high preferment

1:18:38

in the state. The cautious old gentleman, knit

1:18:41

his brows tenfold closer

1:18:43

after this explanation, being

1:18:45

solely puzzled by the

1:18:47

rascination of the syllogism Why

1:18:50

only thought the one in pepper

1:18:52

and salt eyed him was something of

1:18:54

a triumphant lea? At length, he observed.

1:18:57

observe that all this

1:18:59

was very well, but still he

1:19:01

had thought the story a little

1:19:03

on the extravagant There

1:19:05

were one or two points

1:19:07

on which she had his

1:19:09

doubts. Faith, sir replied the storyteller.

1:19:11

As to that

1:19:12

matter, I

1:19:13

don't believe one half of it

1:19:15

myself. The end.

1:19:17

the k

1:19:19

the end

1:19:20

Everybody

1:19:28

That was the

1:19:31

legend

1:19:31

of sleepy

1:19:34

hollow by Hollow Washington

1:19:36

Irving and it's been requested many

1:19:38

times. I should say there are many people, so if you're one of those people who recommended it, here

1:19:41

we are at last and

1:19:43

sorry for the delay. I

1:19:46

thought I'd do it because I'm kinda going

1:19:49

through a phase of

1:19:51

doing slightly stories. I mean,

1:19:53

this is a classic story, but not

1:19:55

necessarily a classic ghost story. What I mean by

1:19:57

that is we had AAA run

1:19:59

of We did

1:20:00

a couple EF Benson's

1:20:02

a c Benson MR James, and so then I thought I'd have a

1:20:04

change. And so we did

1:20:06

Angela Carter's company of wolves,

1:20:09

and we did James Joyce as the

1:20:11

dead. And this is more to the

1:20:12

Gothic, although both of those previous

1:20:14

ones are Gothic in their own way.

1:20:16

But it's an oldish

1:20:18

one. You know, it was

1:20:20

in eighteen nineteen and very famous particularly in American

1:20:23

literature.

1:20:23

I think we've all heard about

1:20:26

it. I remember seeing

1:20:28

the movie with Christopher Walker, which I enjoyed.

1:20:30

So it's a great favorite and you can see why though it's it's

1:20:32

absolutely beautifully written.

1:20:35

I can't think

1:20:36

i think He

1:20:38

he he does. What he does is what he

1:20:40

discouraged from doing now. But a

1:20:42

number of people like William Faulkner, that

1:20:47

just loved them Henry James. And not just Americans, but actually, you

1:20:50

know, it was the fashion of the

1:20:52

time. So you start off

1:20:54

on a point and then you

1:20:56

put

1:20:56

another clause in about something else,

1:20:58

you know. We went to the sleepy hollow, which was at that time settled by

1:21:01

the Dutch, who were

1:21:03

a magnificent people.

1:21:06

to get some potatoes. So at the

1:21:08

end you end up, what did you start off about to

1:21:10

say? So he does a lot of that.

1:21:13

But it's it I didn't find it too bad.

1:21:15

I find Henry James quite difficult in that

1:21:17

respect. Oh, yeah. What is in a

1:21:20

mold, Irish mold, and who was

1:21:22

pretty sure she was a friend of MRGM. He

1:21:24

does it a lot as well. It was a common way of writing

1:21:26

in that that Victorian period and because watching to their win is,

1:21:29

Washington

1:21:30

early Victorian. He's just almost georgian

1:21:33

in these times because, I mean, when

1:21:35

he's talking about the

1:21:37

revolutionary war, he's writing this

1:21:39

in It's published in eighteen eighteen nineteen. Irving

1:21:42

himself was born in seventeen eighty

1:21:44

three, which is not a very

1:21:47

long after in New York. this

1:21:50

is his area, and he died

1:21:51

aged seventy six in in Tarrytown, which was interesting, also in

1:21:53

New York. So he's right

1:21:55

about replacing you.

1:21:56

new york so he's right about replacing

1:21:58

you And clearly, New York has a strong Dutch

1:22:01

history to it,

1:22:02

but in

1:22:03

in these days,

1:22:05

the Dutch is still

1:22:07

there speaking Dutch. I don't know if

1:22:09

anybody in that sort of New York area now still speaks such as a native language. I

1:22:12

don't mean people who

1:22:14

just arrived from Holland and

1:22:16

Netherlands. I

1:22:17

mean, people who who settle

1:22:19

in this, you know, seventeen hundreds in earlier. But he

1:22:21

paints a picture of them in their traditional costumes. Certainly,

1:22:24

when when

1:22:25

and

1:22:27

they're all gathered, they're all dressed the same if you go to. It's dying out

1:22:29

now, but you used to go to places

1:22:31

in Eastern Europe,

1:22:34

I remember. and everybody would wear the the the

1:22:36

dress of that village. And this

1:22:38

used to be common across if

1:22:40

you look at pictures from

1:22:43

the eighteen fifties of Certainly,

1:22:44

Brett on women and

1:22:45

Irish women and things like that. They they would wear

1:22:47

their national costume. Anyway,

1:22:50

that

1:22:50

was a digression. So

1:22:52

yeah, the Washington,

1:22:54

so Washington Irving, very famous, beautifully written, Gothic, lovely

1:22:58

the police

1:22:59

declarative language you know, this

1:23:01

is not language that he would write a letter. Well, I don't know

1:23:03

maybe he would It's formal language.

1:23:06

It's not it's not conversational, which is never intended to be.

1:23:08

It's there for decoration. And so

1:23:10

some of the vocabulary is quite

1:23:14

old. But I hope you got most of it. I'm sure III

1:23:17

can't really I think if I

1:23:20

was

1:23:20

to

1:23:22

explain the words they would kind of break the story really,

1:23:24

wouldn't it? Anyway, and

1:23:26

in story

1:23:26

structure, it

1:23:27

was remarkably modern.

1:23:30

Basically, we have the

1:23:32

setup the

1:23:33

character we have our man,

1:23:35

Icabod. I thought by calling the Icabod, but

1:23:35

I think Icabod is a commonly preferred

1:23:40

pronunciation. I

1:23:41

don't know what Washington

1:23:43

Irving himself called him. And and then, then we set up Braun

1:23:44

Braunz

1:23:46

sorry, Braun Bones.

1:23:50

who's the and it's like it's

1:23:52

almost like one of these movies

1:23:54

you get with the jocks and

1:23:57

the nerdy kids. I

1:23:59

don't know what

1:23:59

the English equivalent would be. Me

1:24:02

probably one of the nerdy kids and

1:24:04

the

1:24:05

the

1:24:07

never had

1:24:07

any trouble from kinda like the rugby players and things like

1:24:09

that. They were the horrible. I went

1:24:11

to some rough

1:24:12

school's mind Legend I

1:24:14

could tell you, you know,

1:24:16

They

1:24:16

weren't. They defafably were the prosecutors, not that I

1:24:18

was massively bullied, really, but it worked who you avoided.

1:24:20

You know? You didn't wanna

1:24:23

go out of lessons.

1:24:26

during less than time because if you went to the

1:24:28

toilet, one or two of these hoodlums would

1:24:30

be hanging around there and they would it

1:24:32

wouldn't be a fun experience, you know. And

1:24:34

they've just

1:24:35

were kind of despicable, really.

1:24:38

Most of them probably been

1:24:40

the jail since or have

1:24:42

meant their ways and let's allow that because we always like to believe

1:24:44

that there is a betterment for people. So

1:24:46

maybe they did see the area their ways.

1:24:48

But

1:24:49

but Yeah.

1:24:50

Have a good one. It's Braum. Braum

1:24:52

Braum Braum sounds like

1:24:55

a car. He

1:24:56

is set

1:24:57

up as and weeden

1:24:59

we know the world how the world works. I was saying this

1:25:01

about company world, wasn't I? And there was

1:25:03

one guy who

1:25:06

made a comment who believed I was impuging all

1:25:08

men, and that's absolutely not true on the company

1:25:10

of wolves very much. If you listen to it,

1:25:12

that isn't what I say at all. And it's

1:25:14

not what Angela Carter was saying either. but

1:25:17

we

1:25:17

we after saying that, we know how the world

1:25:19

works. There's the big,

1:25:22

the tall, muscular, popular,

1:25:26

funny

1:25:26

guy

1:25:29

and

1:25:30

the head girl

1:25:33

that

1:25:33

she was being asked goes, you

1:25:35

know, the homecoming queen perhaps

1:25:36

thinking a Hollow of power

1:25:38

there. I'm thinking a lot of power actually. And the way

1:25:40

the world is,

1:25:43

particularly when you're young, those

1:25:45

two

1:25:45

pair together, those kind of girls don't go for. People who

1:25:47

look like cranes, spindly, and write

1:25:50

poetry that just don't believe

1:25:52

me. That

1:25:54

was my experience because it

1:25:56

all changed later. But in those days,

1:25:57

you know, we know how it's gonna go.

1:26:00

This is the way the world. This is

1:26:02

the way Evolution is made as the biggest and the strongest go

1:26:04

with the prettiest. I may

1:26:06

be feeling