• Reading Washinton Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow has become a Halloween tradition for me. There is a wonderful mix of historical fact, direct observation of the people and setting with Irving's own fictional creations that make the original story exactly what Irving was attempting to invent - a true American folktale, something Irving thought was needed in the newly formed United States of America.
The Disney verson is fun to watch - especially for the beautifully stylized background designs by Mary Blair; but it does not have the nuances that the original text has. Tim Burton's version is his own unique moody vision; but it has only slight similarities to the original story.
It is usually thought that Brom Bones is the Headless Horseman. As I have read the story, I can see that Irving has given clues to two other possibilites and a third if you count the spirit of the Hessian soldier. With so many of the Sleepy Hollow Boys wanting to see Ichabod gone, maybe there was a conspiricy against the self-absorbed pedagogue. Has anyone else noticed these other possibilities?
There are several places on the web to find the complete Irving text as well as a retelling of the original folktale Irving based his story on . It is worth reading and looking into his references to the history, geography and customs of Sleepy Hollow. Have fun!
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