From the listless repose of the place, and the peculiar character of its inhabitants, who are descendants from the original Dutch settlers, this sequestered glen has long been known by name of Sleepy Hollow... A drowsy, dreamy influence seems to hang over the land, and to pervade the very atmosphere. Washington Irving

Ichabod Crane is a young schoolmaster from Connecticut now living in Sleepy Hollow, a settlement in New York State notorious for rumours of ghostly visitations, especially from the infamous Headless Horseman. Considered an outsider by the local inhabitants, he falls in love with the eighteen-year-old Katrina Van Tassel, but has to contend with the loutish Brom Bones for her affections. Then one night Crane's mounting problems come to a head when he finally experiences the horrors of the supernatural first-hand... A classic tale of American Gothic, 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow' has found a central place in the collective imagination and inspired many adaptations. Also included in this volume is a selection of some of Irving's most celebrated ghostly tales, such as 'The Phantom Island' and 'The Devil and Tom Walker'.

In this anthology of short-stories Irving has captured a wide array of themes. His themes are presented subtly and ingeniously. Although the stories are set in a murky backdrop their romanticism is captivating. These witty, profound and captivating stories range from fantasy to romance.

Sage, storyteller, and wit, Washington Irving created such staples of American fiction as the stories “Rip Van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” He earned his preeminence in early American literature with the masterpieces in miniature collected here: dozens of stories, travel essays, biographical discourses, and literary musings. “His influence on American writers is unquestioned,” wrote Edgar Allan Poe, and his stories have proved as enduring as the Catskill Mountains the author immortalized. “Exceptional talent….I am one of his most ardent admirers. I admired Mr. Irving’s work so much, in fact, that I gave it the ultimate praise; I ‘borrowed it.’”—Edgar Allan Poe With an Introduction by Wayne Franklin

This perfectly spooky volume collects some of the most well-known Washington Irving tales originally published in the early to mid-19th century for a new generation of young readers—featuring a freshly reimagined cover! “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” is a ghost story of enduring popularity. In it, lovelorn schoolteacher Ichabod Crane tries to woo local heiress Katrina Van Tassel, only to draw the ire of another of her suitors—Abraham “Brom Bones” Van Brunt—who makes Ichabod the target of practical jokes. One night, at a party, Brom relays the tale of the Headless Horseman, a warrior decapitated by a cannonball who rises from his grave in their own town of Sleepy Hollow nightly to search for his missing head. When Ichabod leaves the party, he’s pursued by a cloaked rider. Could this be the Horseman…and can Ichabod escape him? “Rip Van Winkle” tells the tale of man living in colonial America who falls asleep for twenty years, waking to find his small town in the Catskill Mountains much changed. These and many other tales are included in this classic collection by Washington Irving.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories by an American writer Washington Irving. The story is set in the end of the 18th century in the Dutch settlement of Tarry Town, called Sleepy Hollow. Ichabod Crane, a lean, lanky and extremely superstitious teacher from Connecticut competes with Abraham "Brom Bones" Van Brunt for the hand of 18-year-old Katrina Van Tassel, the daughter and sole child of a wealthy farmer, Baltus Van Tassel. One autumn night, when Ichabod was returning from the party at the Van Tassels' homestead, he was followed by a rider without a head. Presumably, it was a ghost of Hessian cavalryman, who had been beheaded by a stray shot in one of the “unnamed battles” during the War of Independence (USA) and after that “rode during the night in a search of his head”…