A-Z: Classic Monsters: H is for the Headless Horseman

The A-Z Challenge's letter is "H" and there is only one classic monster that comes to mind.... the Headless Horseman.  If you know anything about my blog, than you know how head-over-heels I am about this mystical monster.  In order to honor an classic like the Headless Horseman and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, I am reposting a snippet of my first creepy classic review.

Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

The first book on my Creepy Classics review list is Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Since written in the 1800s, Irving is considered one of celebrated early American writers. My curious nature led me to read this one first. It’s been too long since I cracked this book open and I was pleased I did.

Irving skillfully depicts an early American rural setting of a small Dutch town as the beginnings of his legendary story of the Headless Horseman.  A master at fiction, Irving had me laughing several times when describing the classical character of Ichabod Crane. He’s the gangly nerdy schoolmaster who loves to sing and study about witches, legends and other mystical folklore.

Read the complete post here.

From Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow...

I also wanted to share a snippet of Irving's words on the Horseman.  There was amazing build-up before this, but I really liked this singular sentence!

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! 

Source

Fox's Office prank using the Headless Horseman

Last Halloween, Fox unleashed the classic monster to walk their corporate halls and scare their poor employees to near death.  Check out this cute video Fox did.  Why is it such fun to scare people?

I've posted a few times on The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Ichabod Crane and of course the Headless Horseman.  He's a favorite of mine.  Do you like him too?  Did you have a better classic monster for the letter "H" in mind?

Mina B.