� 2001-2006 by Shiloh
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I tried finding the tale to share here, but mostly I found essays, movie reviews and paintings dealing with Sleepy Hollow or the Headless Horseman. I even found a Texas version of a headless horseman. But it's gruesome and was meant as a sick joke and the man was made an example of to other cattle rustlers. So I won't be sharin' that. I did find the original tale by Washington Irving, however, but even as a short story it's too long to post here--unfortunately. I also found Sleepy Hollow's Chamber of Commerce page. *reddens and gives a sheepish smile* Imagine my surprise at that. I had no idear Sleepy Hollow was an actual town. I thought it was a quaint town made up by the author. Yes, those of you from the East can make fun of me. It's ok.
It's a bit disappointing though, that I haven't come across a shortened version of the story, but I did happen across Brom's "tale" of the Headless Horseman that he told at Van Tassel's party. In the Disney version he noticed Ichabod had a superstitious streak a mile or two wide. Jealous because Katrina Van Tassel had been paying Ichabod attention, either to indeed make Brom jealous or because she sincerely liked the schoolmaster, Brom decided to soothe his bruised ego at Ichabod's expense. He knew the legend of the unfortunate Hessian who lost his head to a cannonball in a Revolutionary War battle would plant seeds of fear in Crane's too fertile imagination. All he needed to do was tell of the ghost's penchant for acquiring heads to replace his jack-o-lantern one in his scariest fashion and let Ichabod's imagination do the work on the ride home.
The Headless HorsemanAh, ever the classic. It makes me wonder though, if the legend about the Headless Horseman is true. I mean, in so far as he was an actual Hessian soldier who did lose his head in a Revolutionary War battle, and Washington Irving just wrote a story based on him. Or if Irving made him up, creating the most famous ghost story of his time and using the town of Sleepy Hollow as a backdrop. Hmmm...
When the spooks have a Midnight Jamboree
They break it up with fiendish glee
Ghosts are bad, but the one that's cursed
It's the Headless Horseman, he's the worstThat's right, he's a fright, on Halloween night
But when he goes a-joggin' 'cross the land
Holdin' his noggin in his hand
Demons take one look and groan
And hit the road for parts unknownBeware, take care, he rides alone
And there's no spook, like a spook who's sporned
They don't like him, and he's really burned
He swears to the longest day he's dead
He'll show them that he can get a headThey say he's tired of his flamin' top
He's got a yen to make a swap
So he rides one night each year
To find a head in the hollow hereNow he likes them little, he likes them big
Part in the middle, or a wig
Black or white or even red
The Headless Horseman needs a headWith a hip-hip and a clippity-clop
He's out lookin' for a top to chop
So don't stop to figure out a plan
You can't reason with a headless manNow if you doubt this tale is so
I met that spook just a year ago
No, I didn't stop for a second look
For once you cross that bridge, my good friendsThe ghost is through, his power ends
So when you're riding home tonight
Make for the bridge with all your might
He'll be down in the hollow there
He needs your head, look out, bewareWith a hip-hip and a clippity-clop
He's out looking for a head to swap
So don't try to figure out a plan
You can't reason with a headless mansung by Bing Crosby
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