Welcome to Disney's Magic of Storytelling podcast, brought to you by Wake Med Children's, because inside every child is a story waiting to be told.
Our storyteller is ABC 11 meteorologist Don Schweneker.
The legend of Sleepy Hollow.
Back when Manhattan was just a tiny town, the village of Sleepy Hollow sat along a bend of the Hudson.
Peaceful and a bit foreboding, the village is now home to a variety of superstitions and legends.
The best known story, though, is about a former schoolmaster named Ichabod Crane.
The story begins one autumn afternoon when this unusual man first appeared in Sleepy Hollow.
Tall and lanky Ichabod Crane wandered into town reading a book, oblivious to the commotion he would soon cause.
A group of men known around town as the Sleepy Hollow Boys was gathered at Ye Olde Schnooker and Schnapps Shop.
Brom Bones.
The group's self-appointed leader was riding in to join his friends when he caught sight of Ichabod entering the village.
He called, Yahoo, causing the townspeople to take notice of the newcomer.
Ichabod didn't notice the curious town folk watching him at first.
He was too focused on making sure not to walk under a ladder or let a black cat cross his path.
Ichabod was a very superstitious fellow.
But soon the chatter made him look up from his book.
It's the new schoolmaster, someone shouted from a window.
Ichabod Crane, he said, introducing himself with a bow.
Despite his quirky entrance into town, Ichabod quickly fit into his role at the school and became known as a good teacher.
He was strict when he needed to be and he tried to stay on good terms with his students, especially those whose mothers were good cooks.
All in all, Ichabod was fitting into Sleepy Hollow quite well and he began to like his life in the village.
But then came that fateful day when Katrina Von Tassel, the only child of rich farmer Baltus Von Tassel, entered Ichabod's life.
She was one of the most beautiful women in the village and she had many suitors vying for her hand in marriage.
Ichabod was in the park when the Von Tassels rode through town and after just one look at Katrina, he was immediately enchanted by her.
It wasn't long before she captured his heart.
After their first meeting, Ichabod could think of nothing but the beautiful Katrina.
He couldn't focus on his classroom or his lesson plans or even social outings anymore.
He just daydreamed about when he could see his new love.
Ichabod believed he had a better chance of winning Katrina's heart than the simple country folk of Sleepy Hollow.
But there was one person who wasn't too keen on this idea, Mr Brom Bones, for he too was taken by the lovely Katrina.
Katrina did not like how Brahm easily shooed away most of her other suitors.
All, in fact, except for Ichabod.
That was why he interested her.
Never had a man not cowered before Brahm, and Katrina quite liked Ichabod's fearlessness.
One day, Katrina showed her affection for Ichabod after he lent her a helping hand and Brahm was pushed aside.
But Brahm was not going to give up easily.
Later, as Ichabod helped Katrina step away over a stream, Brahm rode toward them on his horse, sweeping Katrina off her feet and knocking Ichabod into the muddy water.
However, as they were riding away, Katrina tossed the schoolmaster her handkerchief, restoring his confidence and further intensifying his love for her.
Believing Katrina was his one true love, Ichabod raced toward her father's farm.
There he proudly presented her her handkerchief, tied neatly in a bow.
Surprised and impressed, Katrina let Ichabod, not Brom, take her hand and walk her up to the house.
Unfortunately for Brom, his humiliation continued after they walked ahead.
He tripped over the gate.
Ah! stumbled over a loose potato, and a bag of apples fell on his head.
Brom did not enjoy being made to look like a fool.
And the more Katrina laughed at him, the more determined he became to make the schoolmaster pay for this embarrassment.
After Ichabod kissed Katrina's hand in farewell, he left the Von Tassel house to find Brom ready to fight.
Before Brom could cause trouble, Katrina opened the upstairs window and waved goodbye to the men.
Each wanting to put his best foot forward, the men waved and smiled, pretending nothing was wrong.
The day before her father's annual Halloween dance, Katrina decided to invite Brahm and Ichabod to the party.
She was hoping to stir up their rivalry just a bit more.
Ichabod prided himself on his dancing skills, so when he arrived at the party, he immediately asked Katrina to join him on the dance floor.
The picture of grace.
Ichabod and Katrina had a lovely time together and Ichabod was sure she was falling in love with him.
In contrast, Brom Bones was having a decidedly bad time at the Halloween party and, try as he might, he could not keep Katrina and Ichabod apart.
After multiple failed attempts to cut in or find a new dance partner for Ichabod Brom, found himself outside the house glaring in at the festivities and feeling utterly defeated.
Returning inside, Brahm walked into the kitchen to find Ichabod preparing a large plate of food for himself.
Brahm watched as Ichabod knocked over a salt shaker and then quickly threw the fallen salt over his left shoulder.
Brahm realized Ichabod must be extremely superstitious.
Knowing he could take advantage of this, Brahm stuck off to put his plan in motion.
When Mr Von Tassel called on his guest to tell spooky stories befitting the holiday, Brom knew this was his chance.
The ghosts are bad, but the one that's cursed is the Headless Horseman.
He is the worst, Brom began, introducing his tale.
As Ichabod listened, his superstitious nature took over and he began to fear the curse of Sleepy Hollow.
Brahm continued, getting increasingly animated as Ichabod grew more and more afraid.
He described a creature who held his flaming pumpkin head in his hand while riding on his horse.
He rides one night each year at the witching hour to find a head in the hollow here.
Brahm warned as he impersonated the horseman.
The headless horseman needs a head.
As the story continued, Ichabod became more unnerved with each sentence.
Now if you doubt this tale is so, I met this ghost just one year ago.
Now I didn't stop for a second look, but made for the bridge that spans the brook.
For once you've crossed the bridge, my friend the ghost is through.
And his power ends.
Brahm finished.
The story received cheers from the crowd.
But his true prize was seeing that look of fear in Ichabod's eyes.
At the witching hour, Brahm's tale warned of the party was over and it was time to go home.
It was a dark and quiet night in the village.
And to get home, Ichabod had to head straight through the hollow Brahm had spoken of in his tale.
Woo-hoo!
The schoolmaster had never been more afraid.
Each screech and rustle and echo made him jump.
He soon was convinced the headless horseman was after him.
Ichabod quickly hid behind a log before realizing that what he thought were horse hooves hitting the ground were actually just cat tails hitting the log.
Relieved, Ichabod began to laugh at his foolishness, until an evil laugh broke through Ichabod's joy, silencing him and making him shake.
He looked up to see the headless horseman from Brom's Tale.
Terrified, Ichabod and his horse jumped up and took off back into the woods.
They rode through the water and jumped from tall heights.
They tried to hide behind thick bushes, but no matter where they hid, Ichabod and his horse could not get the headless horseman off their tail.
As they raced from the ghost, something Brahm had said popped into Ichabod's mind.
Once you cross the bridge, my friend, the ghost is through.
His power ends here.
Taking a chance, Ichabod steered his horse toward the bridge.
The horse galloped with all its might.
With the horseman right behind him, Ichabod and his horse made it to the bridge.
They slowed down at the other end, panting with relief.
Ichabod looked up, expecting no longer to see the terrifying horseman now that he'd gotten to safety.
But not only was the horseman still there, he raised his arm and flung his flaming pumpkin straight over the bridge right toward Ichabod.
The next day, all that remained by the bridge was a smashed pumpkin and Ichabod's hat.
The schoolmaster was nowhere to be seen.
Not long after that Halloween night, Katrina and Brom Bones were married, and as for Ichabod, No one really knows what happened to the schoolmaster.
Some say he left town and married a wealthy woman and started his own family.
But others are convinced that they know the truth.
That he was taken by the Headless Horseman that very Halloween night.
The End.
Wake Med Children's is proud to support the ongoing enrichment of children in our community and beyond through our sponsorship of the Disney Magic of Storytelling podcast.
To learn more about Wake Med Children's, please visit kids.wakemed.org.
