Happy Halloween! Instead of a trick or treat, we’d rather give you the double treat of a spooky story and a bullion giveaway. Following the launch of Provident’s exclusive Black Horse of Famine round, let’s stick with the equine theme and share a little bit about “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” a short fictional story by Washington Irving. With so many modern iterations of this old tale, we’re going to dig back into the roots of the original story that was first published in 1820.
The story is set in the fictional town of Sleepy Hollow, a quiet little town that was said to have been bewitched due to the mysterious sights and sounds that surrounded the area. Talk around town tells of a Headless Horsemen spectre, thought to be the ghost of a Hessian soldier who lost his head by a cannonball during the Revolutionary War. The story tells that he “rides forth to the scene of battle in nightly quest of his head.”
Within this eerie little town, we meet a meek, superstitious schoolteacher named Ichabod Crane. He courts young Katrina Van Tassel, the daughter of a wealthy farmer. But Abraham “Brom Bones” Van Brunt also competes for her hand, and he and Ichabod find themselves in competition.
One night, Ichabod attends a harvest festival at the Van Tassel’s home, where he plans to propose to Katrina. However, he fails to secure her hand and rides home with a heavy heart. Along the way, his mind plays through the ghost stories told at the party by Abraham. Just as his imagination begins to swell in the moonlit woods, a cloaked horsemen appears at an intersection in a swamp. His head is not atop his shoulders, but instead resting on his saddle. Ichabod races across a bridge to escape the ghostly figure, but the Headless Horsemen throws his severed head directly at the man.
The next morning, Ichabod seems to have mysteriously disappeared. His horse, his hat, and a smashed pumpkin are the only remnants left behind. Katrina is left to marry Abraham in Ichabod’s absence. Though the ending is left open to interpretation, the story’s narrator tells us that the old Dutch wives believe that Ichabod was “spirited away by supernatural means,” leading to yet another legend of a lost spirit—that, perhaps, of Ichabod—wandering the woods.
Spooky stories and fun costumes are a staple during October, for adults as well as children. What is your Halloween costume this year? Commenting below will serve as your entry for our October giveaway. But remember to keep it classy; inappropriate comments will be deleted and disqualified. Submit your comment (one comment only please) by October 23, 2017. One winner will be randomly selected on October 24, 2017 to receive a Black Horse of Famine 1 oz silver round AND 1 oz copper round from our Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse series.
Good luck and don’t lose your head!
Since we live out in the boonies, and I’ll more than likely be working, I won’t be dressing up as anything.
I will be dressed as my favorite Halloween candy. A giant peanut butter cup. Yummmo!!!
A little makeup and some vimpe teeth and I’m my grand kids paw paw vampire.
Happy Halloween All!
I do miss the old trick or treat times now can’t wait to see the grandkids costumes happ hollowed
I think I’ll be either the silver surfer or quick silver from my favorite shows.
Well I want to be or represent Jake from Avatar ,but I cut my hair off so I must have to chose another character. I have to decide between maniwee or Arimos fellow of Jessy Dart in Starzinger ….
Last year when I took off my costume bunny head The grandchildren burst into tears and shouted “put it back on! ” What can I say?
When you look like Santa, there’s only one costume option. Ho Ho Ho
My wife is going as Jean Simmons from Kiss. I am going as an ok time German Beer drinker.
Don’t know why, or when it happened, but the most frightening costume today would be to dress up as a clown.
We are taking the kids trick or treat all evening and have dressed as half dead and half alive fairy queen, dead warrior, king warrior and pirate. Always a fun time for the children and we love going home to home with them. Trick or Treat!
I’ll wear a bowtie with many green skulls on it, while working.
Dressing up as an OSU Buckeye fanatic. Go Bucks!
Well, at first I was thinking of dressing up as a cowboy but was told that would be offensive to vegetarians. So I figured I’d dress up as a Munchkin from The Wizard Of Oz, but someone said that would be insulting to the height-challenged. Then I thought of dressing up like Uncle Sam but was warned that might be offensive to some. My last choice was to put on a Keystone Cop costume but someone reminded me that I might get shot. So I think I’ll just stay home this year and watch TV.
Dressing up as an 1840’s trapper.
I will be greeting trick or treaters as a hunchback vampire, my toungue blood red
Pirate arrrrrgggghhh!!!
Herman Munster….who doesn’t like Herman Munster?!?
I will be unfortunately workibg but if i could i would be Jack Skellington..
Going as a Unicorn!
It seems that most years October is a bad month for me. But over the past few years I have turned around and I now look forward to the 31st.
Dressing up as a zombie
I’m gonna dress up as “Trump’s Miracle Tax Plan.”
If the middle class sees a drop in taxes, it’ll be a miracle.
I am going to be the Richie
I’m dressing up in a homemade goblin suit! Thanks for the chance!
Riding always makes me hungry
Cool Rick from Patriot.
Dressing as an old man, again
I loved that story as a child! Thanks for the reminder.