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The dominant spirit, however, that haunts this enchanted region, and seems to be commander-in-chief of all the powers of the air, is the apparition of a figure on horseback, without a head. It is said by some to be the ghost of a Hessian trooper, whose head had been carried away by a cannon-ball, in some nameless battle during the Revolutionary War, and who is ever and anon seen by the country folk hurrying along in the gloom of night, as if on the wings of the wind. [...] Indeed, certain of the most authentic historians of those parts, who have been careful in collecting and collating the floating facts concerning this spectre, allege that the body of the trooper having been buried in the churchyard, the ghost rides forth to the scene of battle in nightly quest of his head, and that the rushing speed with which he sometimes passes along the Hollow, like a midnight blast, is owing to his being belated, and in a hurry to get back to the churchyard before daybreak.
- The villagers believe the horseman is a Hessian (a German mercenary hired by the British) who lost his head when it was blown off by a cannonball in the American Revolution.
- The villagers believe the horseman is searching for his lost head. He goes to the scene of the battle, but also searches along the nearby roads.
- The horseman is in a hurry so that he can get back to the churchyard, the site of his grave, before daybreak. The exact reasons for this are not specified, though it can be assumed that the ghost is compelled by supernatural powers or rules to do so.
In "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," who do the villagers think is the Headless Horseman, and how did he lose his head?
The people of the village of Sleepy Hollow claim to know the general identity of the spirit known as the Headless Horseman. They say that he is
the ghost of a Hessian trooper, whose head had been carried away by a cannonball in some nameless battle during the Revolutionary War, and who is ever seen by the countryfolk, hurrying along in the gloom of the night as if on the wings of the wind.
Hessian troopers were German soldiers who fought on the side of the British in the Revolutionary War, which took place when America declared its independence from England. Historians in the Sleepy Hollow area believe that the body of the soldier was buried in a churchyard near the town and that the ghost rides, each night, to the scene of the battle in which he lost his head to the cannonball. They say that he is always in a big hurry to return to his final resting place, his grave in that churchyard, before dawn.
In "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," who do the villagers think is the Headless Horseman, and how did he lose his head?
The legend is about a Hessian trooper who lost his head in battle via a cannonball! This is who the villagers believe is the "Headless Horseman." The soldier is said to be roaming the town searching for his lost head.
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In Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," what do the villagers think the headless horseman is doing out at night, and why is he in such a hurry?
The headless horseman in "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is the ghost of a Hessian soldier. Hessians were Germans who were hired by the English to fight against the Americans in the Revolutionary War, and they had the reputation for being fierce and ruthless fighters. Because the Hessians were on the enemy side in the war and frightening warriors, it is no wonder the story of a Hessian ghost on horseback would raise fear among the superstitious in Sleepy Hollow.
According to the legend, this Hessian had his head blown off by a cannonball "in some nameless battle during the revolutionary war." The head rolled away, and therefore the ghost rides out to the scene of the battle every night searching for his lost head. He has to gallop away hurriedly before the sun rises because he is a ghost and can only come out at night. The ghost earns the alliterative title of the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow.
Ichabod Crane, who loves fairy and ghost stories, particularly enjoys hearing this tale told by a fire with roasted apples on a cold night. Because he is superstitious, he partly believes the tale is true.
Brom Bones finds out about this superstitious streak and uses it against his rival. Brom wants to marry the lovely Katrina, which means getting Crane out of the way. Using his wits, the red-blooded, all-American Brom, who knows fact from fantasy, concocts a fake headless horseman to frighten the gullible Crane into fleeing from Sleepy Hollow.
In Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," what do the villagers think the headless horseman is doing out at night, and why is he in such a hurry?
In Washington Irving’s 1820 story of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” the local townspeople regularly discuss the terrifying figure who haunts their village at night. Sitting around the local pub, people could be heard sharing scary stories and describing the ghostly figure in their midst:
“The chief part of the stories, however, turned upon the favorite spectre of Sleepy Hollow, the headless horseman, who had been heard several times of late, patrolling the country; and, it was said, tethered his horse nightly among the graves in the churchyard.”
That the horseman was active at night -- which is only appropriate when the topic is horror and there is a cemetery nearby -- is evident in the stories the townspeople tell each other about the fates befallen some of their own. In the following passage, Irving relates the headless horseman’s routine as described by villagers:
“The sequestered situation of this church seems always to have made it a favorite haunt of troubled spirits. Over a deep black part of the stream, not far from the church, was formerly thrown a wooden bridge; the road that led to it, and the bridge itself, were thickly shaded by overhanging trees, which cast a gloom about it, even in the daytime; but occasioned a fearful darkness at night. This was one of the favorite haunts of the headless horseman; and the place where he was most frequently encountered.”
Regarding the apparent hurry in which the Headless Horseman appears to always be, Irving’s villagers suggest that the horseman’s identity is that of a Hessian mercenary killed during the Revolutionary War, and who is in a perpetual rush to return to his grave:
“. . . the ghost rides forth to the scene of battle in nightly quest of his head; and that the rushing speed with which he sometimes passes along the Hollow, like a midnight blast, is owing to his being belated, and in a hurry to get back to the churchyard before daybreak."
Not unlike the legend of vampires, the horseman apparently can function only at night, and must return to his burial site before the appearance of the Sun.