Legends and Lore of Sleepy Hollow and the Hudson Valley

By Jonathan Kruk

A storyteller examines Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and the lore that inspired it, as well as other local legends of the Hudson Valley.
 
The story of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman is one of America's best-known fables, but what other stories does the Hudson Valley hold? Imps cause mischief on the Hudson River, a white lady haunts Raven Rock, Major Andre’s ghost seeks redemption and real headless Hessians search for their severed skulls. These mysterious and spooky tales from the region’s past inspired Irving and continue to captivate the imagination to this day.
 
“Kruk has been enchanting audiences with his dramatic, enticing storytelling ability for 20 years.” —Suzanne Rothberg, Tarrytown-Sleepy Hollow Patch

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Jul 21, 2011
• ISBN: 9781614233190

Jonathan Kruk

Born in El Paso, Texas, but raised in Westchester County, New York, Jonathan Kruk grew up on tall tales and daydreams. Jonathan made storytelling his full-time career in 1989. Every year, he performs for thousands of children at hundreds of schools, libraries and historic sites in the Hudson Valley and Metropolitan New York. Kruk's performances of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and A Christmas Carol for Historic Hudson Valley sell out each year. Jonathan's been featured on the Travel Channel, CBS Sunday Morning and BBC Great Rain Journeys and is currently heard on WAMC's Listen with the Lights On. Jonathan lives in a cottage in the Hudson Highlands with his wife, actress and filmmaker Andrea Sadler. For more information, go to his website, www.jonathankruk.com.

Book preview

Chapter 1

BY THE NAME WASHINGTON IRVING

On mounting a rising ground, which brought the figure of his fellow-traveller in relief against the sky, gigantic in height, and muffled in a cloak, Ichabod was horror-struck on perceiving that he was headless! But his horror was still more increased on observing that the head, which should have rested on his shoulders, was carried before him on the pommel of his saddle!…Now Ichabod cast a look behind to see if his pursuer should vanish, according to rule, in a flash of fire and brimstone. Just then he saw the goblin in his stirrups, in the very act of hurling his head at him. Ichabod endeavored to dodge the horrible missile, but it was too late.

—The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, in Washington Irving’s The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. 6th ed. New York and London: C.S. Van Winkle and John Murray, 1820

THE HORSEMAN’S APPEAL

Headless horsemen, from the Green Knight riding off head in hand after being decapitated by Sir Gawain to the wild skullduggery in Tim Burton’s film Sleepy Hollow, have long thrilled us. Imbedded in our universal subconscious, he evokes primal fear and fascination. The favorite horseman is Washington Irving’s galloping Hessian of Sleepy Hollow.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow was an instant hit when it first appeared in 1819. The Headless Horseman even makes a crowd-pleasing run at Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Recognized as the first major work by an American writer, The Legend is required reading at schools and universities. Everyone seems to both know and love the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow.

In 1996, when General Motors closed down its North Tarrytown plant, the community looked for another way to bring in new business. Residents drew upon The Legend, renaming their hamlet Sleepy Hollow. A nearby village, once known as Dearman, had already taken the author’s name, Irvington, in the nineteenth century.

Why do we love Irving’s horseman? Russell Hubbard, a longtime historical interpreter at Washington Irving’s homestead, Sunnyside, in Tarrytown, New York, gives a concise answer: The scary chase appeals to our inner being. We all want a good fright!

Irving taps into our inner Ichabod, dashing away from doom. He leaves with us the Headless Horseman ever riding as the dominant spirit…that haunts this enchanted region (TLSH, 5) of our imagination. We really want to know, where does he come from and why does he ride?

One definitive answer comes from the most authentic historians of those parts (TLSH, 5): Charlie Duda, another longtime Sunnyside interpreter and Hubbard’s mentor. Charlie said he’d read everything on and by Irving. Speaking with an authoritative New York accent, he honed his knowledge on the subject of the Headless Horseman by addressing the public. When asked where Irving got The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, he would reply in characteristic form with the following bit of lore.

BELLS BECKON

One Sunday morning in 1818, when the fabled fog of the river Thames threatened to stop the day from breaking, two brothers hear the old bell of St. Martyr’s Church tolling. The younger tarries, as the older presses on into the mist over London Bridge. He calls back, warning they’ll be late for church.

The younger one is lost in the fog. He calls, telling his brother to look for a shape in the mist. The older one agrees to play along, saying, All right! I see a horse and rider, only the rider needs a head!

The younger one agrees and asks if it reminds him of the kind of stories they used to hear around the Hudson Valley. Yes indeed, brother! answers the elder. What about the St. Martyr’s bell tolling for us now? Let us go!

Washington Irving, circa 1820, oil on canvas. By Charles Robert Leslie, Historic Hudson Valley (ss.87.6 a-b).

The younger, still studying those mists, replies, "Another bell calls for me. It rings, Si Deus Pro Nobis, Quis Contra Nos (If God is for us, who can be against us). Do you recall the church with that inscribed on it?"

Of course! It’s on the bell of Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow! Washington! Are you homesick brother?

I’m reminded of a horseman who rode all along the Hudson. Forgive me brother, but I’m going to leave you to pray, while I go to write.

So the older one goes on to church, and the younger one goes on to write The Legend of Sleepy Hollow! Who were the brothers? Why, Peter and Washington