Published in 1820 as part of The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow follows Ichabod Crane, a superstitious schoolteacher in a Hudson Valley village haunted by the legend of a headless Hessian horseman. Washington Irving blends comic character study with genuine autumnal atmosphere to create the most enduring ghost story in the American tradition.
The Headless Horseman has become a fixture of American popular culture, but the original story rewards every re-read. Download this free public-domain EPUB at Better Gutenberg.