THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW
Washington Irving
eBook
The quiet town of Sleepy Hollow slumbers in serene harmony with wonderful characters like Katrina van Tassel, the town's biggest brat and the daughter of the wealthiest man in town and Katrina's boyfriend, Brom Bones, the biggest brute in town! Then.....along comes Ichabod Crane! This greedy teacher with a beautiful voice tries to win the heart of Katrina to get his hands on her sizeable fortune! Little does Ichabod know that he must contend with the town hostess, Mrs. Treacher, the wife of the town's preacher, who doubles as the town gossip! Ichabod's every move to impress this wealthy family falls under Mrs. Treacher’s critical eye and becomes subject to her busily wagging tongue! But never the less, Ichabod copes with the situation in very creative ways, staying focused on winning Katrina’s fortune. Of course wooing Katrina is no easy matter, but the boasting by her wealthy family just makes Ichabod's mouth water even more! As Ichabod tries to impress Mr. And Mrs. Van Tassel, Freudian slips abound! Brom Bones also contributes to Ichabod's insecurities. Why, they even challenge each other to a game of "Go Fish" to prove who the better man between the two of them is! Finally, after much effort, Ichabod's flattery and beguiling wit wins him an invitation to the Van Tassel's barn party. Mrs. Treacher, who has been helping Ichabod by telling him Brom’s weaknesses, vows to crash the party to keep Ichabod on track and give him moral support. As the party winds down, Ichabod whispers in Katrina's ear that he cares for her. Screams can be heard throughout the barn rafters as Katrina runs to her parents panicking at the thought! Ichabod leaves the party, broken-hearted and hurt. He tries to convince himself that if he can only make it home, all will be well by sunrise. Suddenly, haunting noises echo all around as he nears the spooky bridge that lies between him and safety. Then, much like the tales he had told the children in his classroom, he hears snorting, hoof-like sounds-sees shadows in the woods- hears a horse whinnying and rearing up--- a glowing pumpkin head hurling toward him ---a flash of lightning--his heart begins to thump...silence. Although there seems to be no sight of Ichabod in the town of Sleepy Hollow these days, they say one can walk down the road on a certain kind of night, with the full moon shining a certain way through the trees, and you will certainly hear Ichabod Crane singing his songs of woe. The mystery, the magic, and the legend live on.(non illustrated)