A tale as old as Halloween

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is a classic, fiction short story written by American author Washington Irving.  It is centered around a small town known as Sleepy Hollow and its main characters are two men fighting over the hand of a wealthy man’s daughter.

What may be best known about the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, however, is another character who figures prominently into the story -the Headless Horseman.

“I think it was a creepy story. It was a good story to base other stuff, like movies, off of, “senior America Bravo said.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow has in fact been adapted in many ways since it was first published in 1820. Movies, comic books, cartoons, commercials, plays and TV series have been based on it. Whether it is about the actual story or just the legend of the Headless Horsemen, the story has taken on a life of its own.

The Headless Horsemen has made a huge impact on fictional villains and Halloween. He is known for using a Jack-O-Lantern as a head. Even candy commercials, like Snickers or M&Ms, have used images of the Headless Horseman who has become nearly synonymous with Halloween.

“I think it is a cute story that has made an impact on the way society sees Halloween,” senior Samantha Reid said. So while not everyone remembers the details of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, the Headless Horsemen has become a classic Halloween character that has lasted throughout the ages. The short story by Irving will continue making an impact for generations to come and more adaptations will likely be based on his characters.

Next time you want to read a short story to put you in the Halloween spirit, check out The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

Also check out Conner Prairie’s Headless Horseman Hayride. Visit October 9-11, 15-18 and 22-25 from 6 – 9 p.m. Admission for the hayride is $12 at the gate for Thursday and Sunday, $16 for Friday and Saturday.