Headless Horseman

This week, we’re taking inspiration from one of my favorite Halloween classics: Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” As you probably already know, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” follows the misadventures of Ichabod Crane, a superstitious schoolmaster who comes face-to-face with the Galloping Hessian of the Hollow— better known as the Headless Horseman— a specter that’s believed to haunt the area near the town of Sleepy Hollow in New York’s Hudson Valley. Like many great scary stories, this one has roots intertwined in both fiction and reality; and looking back, it’s now difficult to determine just how much of the legend was invented by Irving. Given the history of that part of New York, it’s pretty clear the story was inspired— at least in part— by real life events. Our story today is an excerpt from “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” This episode was researched and written by Lindsey Morse. Niall Cooper assists with writing and editing, and was also our guest storyteller for this episode. Our theme music was composed by Graeme Ronald. Additional music: "Creepy Hollow" by Purple Planet is licensed under CC BY 3.0 / A derivative from the original work Finally, make sure to check out our sister show, Assassinations Podcast: www.assassinationspodcast.com. Visit our website: www.fabfigmentals.com Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/fabfigmentals Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/figmentals Find us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/fabfigmentals