The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
A
pleasing
land
of
drowsy
head
it
was
,
Of
dreams
that
wave
before
the
half
-
shut
eye
;
And
of
gay
castles
in
the
clouds
that
pass
,
Forever
flushing
round
a
summer
sky
.
Castle
Of
Indolence
.
In
the
bosom
of
one
of
those
spacious
coves
which
indent
the
eastern
shore
of
the
Hudson
,
at
that
broad
expansion
of
the
river
denominated
by
the
ancient
Dutch
navigators
the
Tappan
Zee
,
and
where
they
always
prudently
shortened
sail
and
implored
the
protection
of
St
.
Nicholas
when
they
crossed
,
there
lies
a
small
market
town
or
rural
port
,
which
by
some
is
called
Greensburgh
,
but
which
is
more
generally
and
properly
known
by
the
name
of
Tarry
Town
.
This
name
was
given
,
we
are
told
,
in
former
days
,
by
the
good
housewives
of
the
adjacent
country
,
from
the
inveterate
propensity
of
their
husbands
to
linger
about
the
village
tavern
on
market
days
.
Be
that
as
it
may
,
I
do
not
vouch
for
the
fact
,
but
merely
advert
to
it
,
for
the
sake
of
being
precise
and
authentic
.
Not
far
from
this
village
,
perhaps
about
two
miles
,
there
is
a
little
valley
or
rather
lap
of
land
among
high
hills
,
which
is
one
of
the
quietest
places
in
the
whole
world
.
A
small
brook
glides
through
it
,
with
just
murmur
enough
to
lull
one
to
repose
;
and
the
occasional
whistle
of
a
quail
or
tapping
of
a
woodpecker
is
almost
the
only
sound
that
ever
breaks
in
upon
the
uniform
tranquillity
.
I
recollect
that
,
when
a
stripling
,
my
first
exploit
in
squirrel
-
shooting
was
in
a
grove
of
tall
walnut
-
trees
that
shades
one
side
of
the
valley
.
I
had
wandered
into
it
at
noontime
,
when
all
nature
is
peculiarly
quiet
,
and
was
startled
by
the
roar
of
my
own
gun
,
as
it
broke
the
Sabbath
stillness
around
and
was
prolonged
and
reverberated
by
the
angry
echoes
.
If
ever
I
should
wish
for
a
retreat
whither
I
might
steal
from
the
world
and
its
distractions
,
and
dream
quietly
away
the
remnant
of
a
troubled
life
,
I
know
of
none
more
promising
than
this
little
valley
.
From
the
listless
repose
of
the
place
,
and
the
peculiar
character
of
its
inhabitants
,
who
are
descendants
from
the
original
Dutch
settlers
,
this
sequestered
glen
has
long
been
known
by
the
name
of
SLEEPY
HOLLOW
,
and
its
rustic
lads
are
called
the
Sleepy
Hollow
Boys
throughout
all
the
neighboring
country
.
A
drowsy
,
dreamy
influence
seems
to
hang
over
the
land
,
and
to
pervade
the
very
atmosphere
.
Some
say
that
the
place
was
bewitched
by
a
High
German
doctor
,
during
the
early
days
of
the
settlement
;
others
,
that
an
old
Indian
chief
,
the
prophet
or
wizard
of
his
tribe
,
held
his
powwows
there
before
the
country
was
discovered
by
Master
Hendrick
Hudson
.
Certain
it
is
,
the
place
still
continues
under
the
sway
of
some
witching
power
,
that
holds
a
spell
over
the
minds
of
the
good
people
,
causing
them
to
walk
in
a
continual
reverie
.
They
are
given
to
all
kinds
of
marvellous
beliefs
,
are
subject
to
trances
and
visions
,
and
frequently
see
strange
sights
,
and
hear
music
and
voices
in
the
air
.
