The legends of Sleepy Hollow belong to the incrediblemany stories about the Headless Horseman, who is doomed to wander until he finds his severed head. One of such stories was once recorded by V. Irving. This article will be devoted to this article.
"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" - the story of the famousAmerican Romantic Writer Washington Irving. The work was written during the life of the author in a small English town of Birmingham. And first published in 1820.
The plot is based on a German fairy tale, which becamepopular with the Dutch after the events of the revolutionary war in New York State. Initially, the author of the literary version of the legend was the German writer Carl Museus, who collected folklore material among his people.
Washington Irving Presents Rider Storywithout a head from the face of a certain Dietrich Nikkerbokker, at the time of publication of the already deceased. It is in his papers that this strange story is described, which was widely rumored during his youth. Dietrich himself is convinced that all the legends of the mysterious horsemen do not lie.
The story begins to unfoldaround 1790 in the small Dutch settlement of Tarrytown, located on the banks of the Hudson. Not far from the village there is a quiet and serene hollow, which was called Sleepy because of the phlegmatic and lazy disposition of its inhabitants.
This place seems to have been cast as a spell, whichobscures the consciousness of local inhabitants, not letting them leave the world of dreams, in which they dwell both in their dreams and in reality. But the minds of the inhabitants of the valley are filled with inexhaustible legends about the wicked and cursed places, stories about ghosts and ancient superstitions. But the main character, without which almost no story can do without, is the Headless Horseman.
The protagonist of the legend of Sleepy Hollow - the HorsemanHeadless. If you believe the rumors, he is the shadow of a Hessian cavalryman who had his head blown off by a cannonball during the battle. His body was buried in the church cemetery, and the spirit cannot find peace until it finds and regains its head.
In the same valley a few years ago, byaccording to Dietrich Nikkerbokker, lived Ikabot Crane - a poor rural teacher. This was a clumsy and lanky guy very conscientious about his teaching craft. The young man was convinced that the rod only spoiled the child, and in all the crimes, the children should repent themselves, without prodding by adults. It is this person who will face the most terrible character in the legend of Sleepy Hollow.
Ikabot combined these kind ofopposing qualities, like ingenuity and deceit. The young man loved to show off his education, especially in the society of pretty girls, but at the same time he was very pious and was part of the church choir. Despite his thinness, Crane really liked to eat and never denied himself that pleasure. And his most beloved book was The History of Witchcraft in New England by Pen Mather. He reread it so often that in the end he could quote it from anywhere.
"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" - a story in whichthere is also a love line, which is connected with Icabod Crane. So, the young man had an object of groaning - Katrina von Tassel, a beautiful woman and the only daughter of a wealthy farmer. The favors of this girl were sought by all the local youths. The main rival of Ikaboda was a strong and courageous country boy Brom Bone, distinguished by mischievous kind.
Как-то Икабода пригласили на праздник в дом ван Tasselov. Wanting to look decent, the young man cleaned out his old black suit, carefully combed his hair, looking at a piece of an old broken mirror, and begged the owner of the house, where he rented a room, a decrepit, incredibly stubborn horse.
Brom Bon was also invited to the feast.This balagur and mischievous man, who had arrived on a black horse like a master, quickly became the soul of the company. Crane himself paid more attention to all kinds of treats. Trying different dishes, he dreamily thought about how one wonderful day he would take Katrina as a wife and get her father’s farm into his full possession.
Washington Irving is very detailed and naturalisticdescribes the life of a provincial village and its inhabitants. Communication, behavior, customs - nothing is covered from the attention of the writer. After treats begin dancing. However, Icabod does not participate in the general fun, keeping aloof.
After the end of the dance all the guests gathertogether and start telling scary stories about ghosts and otherworldly forces. Not left aside and Brom. The young rake begins a story about how he once met at night with the Headless Horseman. Bromo was not at all afraid of the ghost, but suggested that he “measure himself in a jump.” If the Horseman wins, the young man promised to give him a bowl of punch. Bon almost defeated the Hessian, but on the church bridge he burst forth and unexpectedly, having scattered fiery flashes, disappeared.
When the holiday was over, Ikabod specifically lingered, looking for meetings with Katrina. However, their conversation was brief, and the young man did not have time to admit. The young man had to retire not salty to eat.
Continues his story about the headless horsemanIrving. “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” is coming to its climax. Icabod, in despondency, is heading home, but then he notices a huge rider on a black mighty horse. The young man in fear sends his old horse forward, trying to break away from the terrible companion. But the unknown rider does not lag behind.
At some instant, the moon lit up a black silhouette against the night sky. Then Crane saw that his pursuer had a head not on his shoulders, but was strapped to a saddle bow.
Despite his old age, Crane's horse raced throughwhole footing However, in the middle of the ravine, the cinch weakened, and the saddle slipped from the animal. Icabod glanced briefly at how the master would be angry when he learned of the loss of his property. But this thought briefly lingered in the young man's head. He recalled the story of Brom in which he described how the rider was dispelled. Therefore, a young man rushed to the church bridge.
Suddenly, the rider raised himself on the stirrups, grabbed his head and launched it into Ikaboda. The shell landed exactly in the skull of a young man, and he fell off his horse, losing consciousness.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is coming to an end. The book of an outstanding American writer again brings us back to his main character, Ikabod Crane.
In the morning the old horse, borrowed by the young men, returned tohomeowner bareback and rider. Immediately, the search began, during which the townspeople first discovered a broken saddle, and already behind the church bridge, Ikaboda’s hat and smashed broken pumpkin. The locals conferred and came to a disappointing conclusion - Crane was carried off by a Headless Horseman.
A few years after this event, and onefrom the locals went on business to New York. When he returned, he said that he had seen their former teacher, that he was alive and well. Icabod became a politician and a deputy, wrote notes to newspapers, and at the end of his days became a justice of the peace.
What swinging Brom Brons, then this naughty young manmarried Katrina. And when they began to tell the story about the disappearance of Ikabod Crane, he smiled slyly, and when the story reached the pumpkin, he began to laugh.
Such is the ending of the legend of Sleepy Hollow, which Irving laid out.
