The Sketch Book

Most of you will probably not know any other stories by this fellow, Washington Irving, except the famous Legend of Sleepy Hollow. I have to admit that this collection of short stories was enjoyable. There were themes of journeys, romance, and haunting. The short tales really captured your attention and wanted you to jump into the pages. It was enticing and my favorite had to be the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. I have to admit I had only heard a short summary of this masterpiece. Once I read it became my all-time favorite story to read. I can see why people find it facinating. I just felt kind of bad for Ichabod Crane in the end. He was what most of us nowadays would call a town gossip. He was just about whatever the town needed, a schoolmaster, choral teacher, handyman, and notorious storyteller. He loved to tell the ghost stories especially that of the Hessian soldier or the Headless Horseman. However, my least favorite character would have to be Katrina Van Tassel. She was awful for being a tease. Poor Ichabod fell for someone who would never love him. That just plain sucks. Well how could he compete with Brom Bones? He couldn't he didn't have anything on this guy except a tender heart and beautiful voice. Which by my standards is pretty good for a guy. Unfotunately Brom being the jealous type couldn't stand Crane. The thing that bugs me abou the story is that no one knows if it was the horseman or Brom Bones pretending to be the Horseman that made Ichabod disappear. It is kind of spooky thinking that this once schoolmaster and storyteller mysteriously disappears after a party at the Van Tassel with nothing but his borrowed horse left. Now I don't know about you but that is just freaky to me. I did not appreciate Katrina because she continued on with life without a question as to what happened to this Ichabod Crane. If you were to ask me I would say Brom Bones totally did it. No question. That was most definately my favorite story and it goes with the Halloween theme!