FOUND	O
AMONG	O
THE	O
PAPERS	O
OF	O
THE	O
LATE	O
DIEDRICH	O
KNICKERBOCKER	O
.	O

A	O
pleasing	O
land	O
of	O
drowsy	O
head	O
it	O
was	O
,	O
Of	O
dreams	O
that	O
wave	O
before	O
the	O
half-shut	O
eye	O
;	O
And	O
of	O
gay	O
castles	O
in	O
the	O
clouds	O
that	O
pass	O
,	O
Forever	O
flushing	O
round	O
a	O
summer	O
sky	O
.	O

CASTLE	O
OF	O
INDOLENCE	O
.	O

In	O
the	O
bosom	O
of	O
one	O
of	O
those	O
spacious	O
coves	O
which	O
indent	O
the	O
eastern	O
shore	O
of	O
the	O
Hudson	O
,	O
at	O
that	O
broad	O
expansion	O
of	O
the	O
river	O
denominated	O
by	O
the	O
ancient	O
Dutch	O
navigators	O
the	O
Tappan	O
Zee	O
,	O
and	O
where	O
they	O
always	O
prudently	O
shortened	O
sail	O
and	O
implored	O
the	O
protection	O
of	O
St.	O
Nicholas	O
when	O
they	O
crossed	O
,	O
there	O
lies	O
a	O
small	O
market	O
town	O
or	O
rural	O
port	O
,	O
which	O
by	O
some	O
is	O
called	O
Greensburgh	O
,	O
but	O
which	O
is	O
more	O
generally	O
and	O
properly	O
known	O
by	O
the	O
name	O
of	O
Tarry	O
Town	O
.	O

This	O
name	O
was	O
given	O
,	O
we	O
are	O
told	O
,	O
in	O
former	O
days	O
,	O
by	O
the	O
good	O
housewives	O
of	O
the	O
adjacent	O
country	O
,	O
from	O
the	O
inveterate	O
propensity	O
of	O
their	O
husbands	O
to	O
linger	O
about	O
the	O
village	O
tavern	O
on	O
market	O
days	O
.	O

Be	O
that	O
as	O
it	O
may	O
,	O
I	O
do	O
not	O
vouch	O
for	O
the	O
fact	O
,	O
but	O
merely	O
advert	O
to	O
it	O
,	O
for	O
the	O
sake	O
of	O
being	O
precise	O
and	O
authentic	O
.	O

Not	O
far	O
from	O
this	O
village	O
,	O
perhaps	O
about	O
two	O
miles	O
,	O
there	O
is	O
a	O
little	O
valley	O
or	O
rather	O
lap	O
of	O
land	O
among	O
high	O
hills	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
quietest	O
places	O
in	O
the	O
whole	O
world	O
.	O

A	O
small	O
brook	O
glides	O
through	O
it	O
,	O
with	O
just	O
murmur	O
enough	O
to	O
lull	O
one	O
to	O
repose	O
;	O
and	O
the	O
occasional	O
whistle	O
of	O
a	O
quail	O
or	O
tapping	O
of	O
a	O
woodpecker	O
is	O
almost	O
the	O
only	O
sound	O
that	O
ever	O
breaks	O
in	O
upon	O
the	O
uniform	O
tranquillity	O
.	O

I	O
recollect	EVENT
that	O
,	O
when	O
a	O
stripling	O
,	O
my	O
first	O
exploit	EVENT
in	O
squirrel-shooting	O
was	O
in	O
a	O
grove	O
of	O
tall	O
walnut-trees	O
that	O
shades	O
one	O
side	O
of	O
the	O
valley	O
.	O

I	O
had	O
wandered	EVENT
into	O
it	O
at	O
noontime	O
,	O
when	O
all	O
nature	O
is	O
peculiarly	O
quiet	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
startled	EVENT
by	O
the	O
roar	EVENT
of	O
my	O
own	O
gun	O
,	O
as	O
it	O
broke	EVENT
the	O
Sabbath	O
stillness	O
around	O
and	O
was	O
prolonged	O
and	O
reverberated	O
by	O
the	O
angry	O
echoes	EVENT
.	O

If	O
ever	O
I	O
should	O
wish	O
for	O
a	O
retreat	O
whither	O
I	O
might	O
steal	O
from	O
the	O
world	O
and	O
its	O
distractions	O
,	O
and	O
dream	O
quietly	O
away	O
the	O
remnant	O
of	O
a	O
troubled	O
life	O
,	O
I	O
know	O
of	O
none	O
more	O
promising	O
than	O
this	O
little	O
valley	O
.	O

From	O
the	O
listless	O
repose	O
of	O
the	O
place	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
peculiar	O
character	O
of	O
its	O
inhabitants	O
,	O
who	O
are	O
descendants	O
from	O
the	O
original	O
Dutch	O
settlers	O
,	O
this	O
sequestered	O
glen	O
has	O
long	O
been	O
known	O
by	O
the	O
name	O
of	O
SLEEPY	O
HOLLOW	O
,	O
and	O
its	O
rustic	O
lads	O
are	O
called	O
the	O
Sleepy	O
Hollow	O
Boys	O
throughout	O
all	O
the	O
neighboring	O
country	O
.	O

A	O
drowsy	O
,	O
dreamy	O
influence	O
seems	O
to	O
hang	O
over	O
the	O
land	O
,	O
and	O
to	O
pervade	O
the	O
very	O
atmosphere	O
.	O

Some	O
say	O
that	O
the	O
place	O
was	O
bewitched	EVENT
by	O
a	O
High	O
German	O
doctor	O
,	O
during	O
the	O
early	O
days	O
of	O
the	O
settlement	O
;	O
others	O
,	O
that	O
an	O
old	O
Indian	O
chief	O
,	O
the	O
prophet	O
or	O
wizard	O
of	O
his	O
tribe	O
,	O
held	O
his	O
powwows	O
there	O
before	O
the	O
country	O
was	O
discovered	EVENT
by	O
Master	O
Hendrick	O
Hudson	O
.	O

Certain	O
it	O
is	O
,	O
the	O
place	O
still	O
continues	O
under	O
the	O
sway	O
of	O
some	O
witching	O
power	O
,	O
that	O
holds	O
a	O
spell	O
over	O
the	O
minds	O
of	O
the	O
good	O
people	O
,	O
causing	O
them	O
to	O
walk	O
in	O
a	O
continual	O
reverie	O
.	O

They	O
are	O
given	O
to	O
all	O
kinds	O
of	O
marvellous	O
beliefs	O
,	O
are	O
subject	O
to	O
trances	O
and	O
visions	O
,	O
and	O
frequently	O
see	O
strange	O
sights	O
,	O
and	O
hear	O
music	O
and	O
voices	O
in	O
the	O
air	O
.	O

The	O
whole	O
neighborhood	O
abounds	O
with	O
local	O
tales	O
,	O
haunted	O
spots	O
,	O
and	O
twilight	O
superstitions	O
;	O
stars	O
shoot	O
and	O
meteors	O
glare	O
oftener	O
across	O
the	O
valley	O
than	O
in	O
any	O
other	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
country	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
nightmare	O
,	O
with	O
her	O
whole	O
ninefold	O
,	O
seems	O
to	O
make	O
it	O
the	O
favorite	O
scene	O
of	O
her	O
gambols	O
.	O

The	O
dominant	O
spirit	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
that	O
haunts	O
this	O
enchanted	O
region	O
,	O
and	O
seems	O
to	O
be	O
commander-in-chief	O
of	O
all	O
the	O
powers	O
of	O
the	O
air	O
,	O
is	O
the	O
apparition	O
of	O
a	O
figure	O
on	O
horseback	O
,	O
without	O
a	O
head	O
.	O

It	O
is	O
said	O
by	O
some	O
to	O
be	O
the	O
ghost	O
of	O
a	O
Hessian	O
trooper	O
,	O
whose	O
head	O
had	O
been	O
carried	EVENT
away	O
by	O
a	O
cannon-ball	O
,	O
in	O
some	O
nameless	O
battle	EVENT
during	O
the	O
Revolutionary	O
War	O
,	O
and	O
who	O
is	O
ever	O
and	O
anon	O
seen	O
by	O
the	O
country	O
folk	O
hurrying	O
along	O
in	O
the	O
gloom	O
of	O
night	O
,	O
as	O
if	O
on	O
the	O
wings	O
of	O
the	O
wind	O
.	O

His	O
haunts	O
are	O
not	O
confined	O
to	O
the	O
valley	O
,	O
but	O
extend	O
at	O
times	O
to	O
the	O
adjacent	O
roads	O
,	O
and	O
especially	O
to	O
the	O
vicinity	O
of	O
a	O
church	O
at	O
no	O
great	O
distance	O
.	O

Indeed	O
,	O
certain	O
of	O
the	O
most	O
authentic	O
historians	O
of	O
those	O
parts	O
,	O
who	O
have	O
been	O
careful	O
in	O
collecting	O
and	O
collating	O
the	O
floating	O
facts	O
concerning	O
this	O
spectre	O
,	O
allege	O
that	O
the	O
body	O
of	O
the	O
trooper	O
having	O
been	O
buried	EVENT
in	O
the	O
churchyard	O
,	O
the	O
ghost	O
rides	O
forth	O
to	O
the	O
scene	O
of	O
battle	O
in	O
nightly	O
quest	O
of	O
his	O
head	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
the	O
rushing	O
speed	O
with	O
which	O
he	O
sometimes	O
passes	O
along	O
the	O
Hollow	O
,	O
like	O
a	O
midnight	O
blast	O
,	O
is	O
owing	O
to	O
his	O
being	O
belated	O
,	O
and	O
in	O
a	O
hurry	O
to	O
get	O
back	O
to	O
the	O
churchyard	O
before	O
daybreak	O
.	O

Such	O
is	O
the	O
general	O
purport	O
of	O
this	O
legendary	O
superstition	O
,	O
which	O
has	O
furnished	O
materials	O
for	O
many	O
a	O
wild	O
story	O
in	O
that	O
region	O
of	O
shadows	O
;	O
and	O
the	O
spectre	O
is	O
known	O
at	O
all	O
the	O
country	O
firesides	O
,	O
by	O
the	O
name	O
of	O
the	O
Headless	O
Horseman	O
of	O
Sleepy	O
Hollow	O
.	O

It	O
is	O
remarkable	O
that	O
the	O
visionary	O
propensity	O
I	O
have	O
mentioned	O
is	O
not	O
confined	O
to	O
the	O
native	O
inhabitants	O
of	O
the	O
valley	O
,	O
but	O
is	O
unconsciously	O
imbibed	O
by	O
every	O
one	O
who	O
resides	O
there	O
for	O
a	O
time	O
.	O

However	O
wide	O
awake	O
they	O
may	O
have	O
been	O
before	O
they	O
entered	O
that	O
sleepy	O
region	O
,	O
they	O
are	O
sure	O
,	O
in	O
a	O
little	O
time	O
,	O
to	O
inhale	O
the	O
witching	O
influence	O
of	O
the	O
air	O
,	O
and	O
begin	O
to	O
grow	O
imaginative	O
,	O
to	O
dream	O
dreams	O
,	O
and	O
see	O
apparitions	O
.	O

I	O
mention	EVENT
this	O
peaceful	O
spot	O
with	O
all	O
possible	O
laud	O
,	O
for	O
it	O
is	O
in	O
such	O
little	O
retired	O
Dutch	O
valleys	O
,	O
found	O
here	O
and	O
there	O
embosomed	O
in	O
the	O
great	O
State	O
of	O
New	O
York	O
,	O
that	O
population	O
,	O
manners	O
,	O
and	O
customs	O
remain	O
fixed	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
great	O
torrent	O
of	O
migration	O
and	O
improvement	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
making	O
such	O
incessant	O
changes	O
in	O
other	O
parts	O
of	O
this	O
restless	O
country	O
,	O
sweeps	O
by	O
them	O
unobserved	O
.	O

They	O
are	O
like	O
those	O
little	O
nooks	O
of	O
still	O
water	O
,	O
which	O
border	O
a	O
rapid	O
stream	O
,	O
where	O
we	O
may	O
see	O
the	O
straw	O
and	O
bubble	O
riding	O
quietly	O
at	O
anchor	O
,	O
or	O
slowly	O
revolving	O
in	O
their	O
mimic	O
harbor	O
,	O
undisturbed	O
by	O
the	O
rush	O
of	O
the	O
passing	O
current	O
.	O

Though	O
many	O
years	O
have	O
elapsed	O
since	O
I	O
trod	O
the	O
drowsy	O
shades	O
of	O
Sleepy	O
Hollow	O
,	O
yet	O
I	O
question	O
whether	O
I	O
should	O
not	O
still	O
find	O
the	O
same	O
trees	O
and	O
the	O
same	O
families	O
vegetating	O
in	O
its	O
sheltered	O
bosom	O
.	O

In	O
this	O
by-place	O
of	O
nature	O
there	O
abode	O
,	O
in	O
a	O
remote	O
period	O
of	O
American	O
history	O
,	O
that	O
is	O
to	O
say	O
,	O
some	O
thirty	O
years	O
since	O
,	O
a	O
worthy	O
wight	O
of	O
the	O
name	O
of	O
Ichabod	O
Crane	O
,	O
who	O
sojourned	O
,	O
or	O
,	O
as	O
he	O
expressed	O
it	O
,	O
“	O
tarried	O
,	O
”	O
in	O
Sleepy	O
Hollow	O
,	O
for	O
the	O
purpose	O
of	O
instructing	O
the	O
children	O
of	O
the	O
vicinity	O
.	O

He	O
was	O
a	O
native	O
of	O
Connecticut	O
,	O
a	O
State	O
which	O
supplies	O
the	O
Union	O
with	O
pioneers	O
for	O
the	O
mind	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
for	O
the	O
forest	O
,	O
and	O
sends	O
forth	O
yearly	O
its	O
legions	O
of	O
frontier	O
woodmen	O
and	O
country	O
schoolmasters	O
.	O

The	O
cognomen	O
of	O
Crane	O
was	O
not	O
inapplicable	O
to	O
his	O
person	O
.	O

He	O
was	O
tall	O
,	O
but	O
exceedingly	O
lank	O
,	O
with	O
narrow	O
shoulders	O
,	O
long	O
arms	O
and	O
legs	O
,	O
hands	O
that	O
dangled	O
a	O
mile	O
out	O
of	O
his	O
sleeves	O
,	O
feet	O
that	O
might	O
have	O
served	O
for	O
shovels	O
,	O
and	O
his	O
whole	O
frame	O
most	O
loosely	O
hung	O
together	O
.	O

His	O
head	O
was	O
small	O
,	O
and	O
flat	O
at	O
top	O
,	O
with	O
huge	O
ears	O
,	O
large	O
green	O
glassy	O
eyes	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
long	O
snipe	O
nose	O
,	O
so	O
that	O
it	O
looked	O
like	O
a	O
weather-cock	O
perched	O
upon	O
his	O
spindle	O
neck	O
to	O
tell	O
which	O
way	O
the	O
wind	O
blew	O
.	O

To	O
see	O
him	O
striding	O
along	O
the	O
profile	O
of	O
a	O
hill	O
on	O
a	O
windy	O
day	O
,	O
with	O
his	O
clothes	O
bagging	O
and	O
fluttering	O
about	O
him	O
,	O
one	O
might	O
have	O
mistaken	O
him	O
for	O
the	O
genius	O
of	O
famine	O
descending	O
upon	O
the	O
earth	O
,	O
or	O
some	O
scarecrow	O
eloped	O
from	O
a	O
cornfield	O
.	O

His	O
schoolhouse	O
was	O
a	O
low	O
building	O
of	O
one	O
large	O
room	O
,	O
rudely	O
constructed	O
of	O
logs	O
;	O
the	O
windows	O
partly	O
glazed	O
,	O
and	O
partly	O
patched	O
with	O
leaves	O
of	O
old	O
copybooks	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
most	O
ingeniously	O
secured	O
at	O
vacant	O
hours	O
,	O
by	O
a	O
withe	O
twisted	O
in	O
the	O
handle	O
of	O
the	O
door	O
,	O
and	O
stakes	O
set	O
against	O
the	O
window	O
shutters	O
;	O
so	O
that	O
though	O
a	O
thief	O
might	O
get	O
in	O
with	O
perfect	O
ease	O
,	O
he	O
would	O
find	O
some	O
embarrassment	O
in	O
getting	O
out	O
,	O
--	O
an	O
idea	O
most	O
probably	O
borrowed	O
by	O
the	O
architect	O
,	O
Yost	O
Van	O
Houten	O
,	O
from	O
the	O
mystery	O
of	O
an	O
eelpot	O
.	O

The	O
schoolhouse	O
stood	O
in	O
a	O
rather	O
lonely	O
but	O
pleasant	O
situation	O
,	O
just	O
at	O
the	O
foot	O
of	O
a	O
woody	O
hill	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
brook	O
running	O
close	O
by	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
formidable	O
birch-tree	O
growing	O
at	O
one	O
end	O
of	O
it	O
.	O

From	O
hence	O
the	O
low	O
murmur	O
of	O
his	O
pupils	O
’	O
voices	O
,	O
conning	O
over	O
their	O
lessons	O
,	O
might	O
be	O
heard	O
in	O
a	O
drowsy	O
summer	O
’s	O
day	O
,	O
like	O
the	O
hum	O
of	O
a	O
beehive	O
;	O
interrupted	O
now	O
and	O
then	O
by	O
the	O
authoritative	O
voice	O
of	O
the	O
master	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
tone	O
of	O
menace	O
or	O
command	O
,	O
or	O
,	O
peradventure	O
,	O
by	O
the	O
appalling	O
sound	O
of	O
the	O
birch	O
,	O
as	O
he	O
urged	O
some	O
tardy	O
loiterer	O
along	O
the	O
flowery	O
path	O
of	O
knowledge	O
.	O

Truth	O
to	O
say	O
,	O
he	O
was	O
a	O
conscientious	O
man	O
,	O
and	O
ever	O
bore	O
in	O
mind	O
the	O
golden	O
maxim	O
,	O
“	O
Spare	O
the	O
rod	O
and	O
spoil	O
the	O
child	O
.	O
”	O

Ichabod	O
Crane	O
’s	O
scholars	O
certainly	O
were	O
not	O
spoiled	O
.	O

I	O
would	O
not	O
have	O
it	O
imagined	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
that	O
he	O
was	O
one	O
of	O
those	O
cruel	O
potentates	O
of	O
the	O
school	O
who	O
joy	O
in	O
the	O
smart	O
of	O
their	O
subjects	O
;	O
on	O
the	O
contrary	O
,	O
he	O
administered	O
justice	O
with	O
discrimination	O
rather	O
than	O
severity	O
;	O
taking	O
the	O
burden	O
off	O
the	O
backs	O
of	O
the	O
weak	O
,	O
and	O
laying	O
it	O
on	O
those	O
of	O
the	O
strong	O
.	O

Your	O
mere	O
puny	O
stripling	O
,	O
that	O
winced	O
at	O
the	O
least	O
flourish	O
of	O
the	O
rod	O
,	O
was	O
passed	O
by	O
with	O
indulgence	O
;	O
but	O
the	O
claims	O
of	O
justice	O
were	O
satisfied	O
by	O
inflicting	O
a	O
double	O
portion	O
on	O
some	O
little	O
tough	O
wrong-headed	O
,	O
broad-skirted	O
Dutch	O
urchin	O
,	O
who	O
sulked	O
and	O
swelled	O
and	O
grew	O
dogged	O
and	O
sullen	O
beneath	O
the	O
birch	O
.	O

All	O
this	O
he	O
called	O
“	O
doing	O
his	O
duty	O
by	O
their	O
parents	O
;	O
”	O
and	O
he	O
never	O
inflicted	O
a	O
chastisement	O
without	O
following	O
it	O
by	O
the	O
assurance	O
,	O
so	O
consolatory	O
to	O
the	O
smarting	O
urchin	O
,	O
that	O
“	O
he	O
would	O
remember	O
it	O
and	O
thank	O
him	O
for	O
it	O
the	O
longest	O
day	O
he	O
had	O
to	O
live	O
.	O
”	O

When	O
school	O
hours	O
were	O
over	O
,	O
he	O
was	O
even	O
the	O
companion	O
and	O
playmate	O
of	O
the	O
larger	O
boys	O
;	O
and	O
on	O
holiday	O
afternoons	O
would	O
convoy	O
some	O
of	O
the	O
smaller	O
ones	O
home	O
,	O
who	O
happened	O
to	O
have	O
pretty	O
sisters	O
,	O
or	O
good	O
housewives	O
for	O
mothers	O
,	O
noted	O
for	O
the	O
comforts	O
of	O
the	O
cupboard	O
.	O

Indeed	O
,	O
it	O
behooved	O
him	O
to	O
keep	O
on	O
good	O
terms	O
with	O
his	O
pupils	O
.	O

The	O
revenue	O
arising	O
from	O
his	O
school	O
was	O
small	O
,	O
and	O
would	O
have	O
been	O
scarcely	O
sufficient	O
to	O
furnish	O
him	O
with	O
daily	O
bread	O
,	O
for	O
he	O
was	O
a	O
huge	O
feeder	O
,	O
and	O
,	O
though	O
lank	O
,	O
had	O
the	O
dilating	O
powers	O
of	O
an	O
anaconda	O
;	O
but	O
to	O
help	O
out	O
his	O
maintenance	O
,	O
he	O
was	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
country	O
custom	O
in	O
those	O
parts	O
,	O
boarded	O
and	O
lodged	O
at	O
the	O
houses	O
of	O
the	O
farmers	O
whose	O
children	O
he	O
instructed	O
.	O

With	O
these	O
he	O
lived	O
successively	O
a	O
week	O
at	O
a	O
time	O
,	O
thus	O
going	O
the	O
rounds	O
of	O
the	O
neighborhood	O
,	O
with	O
all	O
his	O
worldly	O
effects	O
tied	O
up	O
in	O
a	O
cotton	O
handkerchief	O
.	O

That	O
all	O
this	O
might	O
not	O
be	O
too	O
onerous	O
on	O
the	O
purses	O
of	O
his	O
rustic	O
patrons	O
,	O
who	O
are	O
apt	O
to	O
consider	O
the	O
costs	O
of	O
schooling	O
a	O
grievous	O
burden	O
,	O
and	O
schoolmasters	O
as	O
mere	O
drones	O
,	O
he	O
had	O
various	O
ways	O
of	O
rendering	O
himself	O
both	O
useful	O
and	O
agreeable	O
.	O

He	O
assisted	O
the	O
farmers	O
occasionally	O
in	O
the	O
lighter	O
labors	O
of	O
their	O
farms	O
,	O
helped	O
to	O
make	O
hay	O
,	O
mended	O
the	O
fences	O
,	O
took	O
the	O
horses	O
to	O
water	O
,	O
drove	O
the	O
cows	O
from	O
pasture	O
,	O
and	O
cut	O
wood	O
for	O
the	O
winter	O
fire	O
.	O

He	O
laid	O
aside	O
,	O
too	O
,	O
all	O
the	O
dominant	O
dignity	O
and	O
absolute	O
sway	O
with	O
which	O
he	O
lorded	O
it	O
in	O
his	O
little	O
empire	O
,	O
the	O
school	O
,	O
and	O
became	O
wonderfully	O
gentle	O
and	O
ingratiating	O
.	O

He	O
found	O
favor	O
in	O
the	O
eyes	O
of	O
the	O
mothers	O
by	O
petting	O
the	O
children	O
,	O
particularly	O
the	O
youngest	O
;	O
and	O
like	O
the	O
lion	O
bold	O
,	O
which	O
whilom	O
so	O
magnanimously	O
the	O
lamb	O
did	O
hold	O
,	O
he	O
would	O
sit	O
with	O
a	O
child	O
on	O
one	O
knee	O
,	O
and	O
rock	O
a	O
cradle	O
with	O
his	O
foot	O
for	O
whole	O
hours	O
together	O
.	O