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!
My neighborhood has tons of kids that come by trick-or-treating every Halloween, so rather than dress up I’ll be handing out lots of treats!
I will dress up my dog like a stallion….
Me and my wife are goi g to dress up as babies and my 1 year old son will be an old man.
I’m staying home, dressing up as a pirate wench and handing out candy to the kids. Always enjoy seeing the little kiddos dressed up, especially the little ones when they try to say “Trick or Treat”, it’s so cute!
piece of bacon ! i got bacon socks shirt and real bacon
I’ll be lazy, and just go as an archery hunter. I’ll already be going out as a hunter most evenings in October anyways.
Totally going as Doctor Who the 11th doctor!! Thanks so much for the opportunity to win!
This dark Halloween you’ll receive all your doles, but it comes with a price as I’ll take all your souls!!!!!!! Ha HA HAAAAAA!!!!!
Dressed as the Grim reaper for sure… 😉
I will be dressing up as me!
My hair has thinned enough to go as Riffraff from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Time is fleeting….
This is my first Halloween as a grandpa. I can’t wait until my grandson can wear the dinosaur costume that my mom made for his father, passing the costume down to the next generation.
I lived in the Halloween capital of the world for 40 years! I love Halloween
I’m dressing as a mean ghost
Scariest costume of all i’ll Be dressing as a lawyer. My wife as a judge. Lol
I will be the tooth fairy.
My wife, children and I are dressing up as Fred, Daphne, Velma, and Shaggy from Scooby Doo to got trick or treating with the kids. Our dog, will come along as Scooby.
I’ll be a pumpkin.
My son will be dressing as Captian Kirk.
My wife is making us dress up as cat burglars and yes she is making me wear fuzzy ears! Lol
I will be a Pennywise to surprise my lovely boys
As a tribute to the late great….. Hugh Hefner
I’ll be dressed for work as I am working
It’s been a long time since I dressed for Halloween, but one of my favorite costumes was one I made. I hosted a party at my home and dressed like one of those crazy, pro, wrestlers, I was in much better shape back then, anyway the party was a success, everyone had a great time and all made it home safely
I never know till the last minute. My BEST costume was wolverine complete with real beard.
I’m gonna just be myself and be jolly old man – or is it a grumpy forgetful old man, I can’t remember!
If I wanted to be really scary, my wife and I might dress up as Janet Yellen and Ben Bernanke… Or would that scare the children too badly?
I’m going to work (top 5 of Banks in the Country) dressed in jeans, t-shirt and DC Villian shoes, going as someone defying the dress
Code.
I’ll be Alice in Wonderland!!! Happy Halloween
i’m gonna buy a bag of Smarties, tape them to my pants and go as Smartie Pants.
Coming from one of my kids’ favorite cartoon shows I’m thinking Pretzelcoatl. Mythical beast…half quetzalcoatl half pretzel.