The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

From the tale by Washington Irving

Washington Irving published 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow' in 1820 as part of The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., the collection that established his international reputation. Irving was among the first American writers to gain recognition in Europe, and this tale draws on Dutch colonial history and folklore from the Hudson River Valley. The text reflects its era; a few period terms have been modernised. Irving's framing device—the tale discovered among Diedrich Knickerbocker's papers—creates ironic distance between author, narrator, and events, inviting the reader to weigh competing interpretations. This reader is worth your time because it demonstrates how a sophisticated literary artist can make folklore serve multiple ends at once: social satire, regional myth-making, and a meditation on the boundaries between the real and the imagined.

Band

Silver · First-year university levelTypical starting range: adult

Length

long · about 1632 words in 5 sections · 1 picture

Source

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Washington Irving

First published

see the About page in the reader

Regions

Canada · United States

Included formats

• · Web reader and PDF
• · EPUB for e-readers
• · Home-print sheet
• · Folded booklet
• · Binder edition (8.5 × 11)
• · Worksheet
• · Quick Check (10 questions) with answer key
• · Read-aloud script
• · Teacher’s Edition (members)

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