The Leyend of Sleepy Hollow

The Rich Farmer's Daughter

Among the musical pupils who came one evening a week for instruction was Katrina Van Tassel. She was the only child of a well-off Dutch farmer. She was a fine healthy girl of eighteen, plump and rosy-cheeked, like one of her father's peaches. She was also a bit of a flirt, whichyou could tell from the way she dressed. She wore ornament of pure gold, and her petticoat was short so that she showed off the prettiest foot and ankle in the countryside. Ichabod Crane had a soft andfoolish heart towards young women so it is not surprising that such a tasty morsel soon found favor in his eyes.

Katrina's father, old Baltus Van Tassel, was only concerned with his own farm, where everything was snuug and happy. He did not lead an extravagant life but he had everythinghe needed.

His home was on the banks of the Hudson, in a green and fertile place. An elm tree spread its branches over a spring of the sweetest water. Close to the farmhouse there was a vast barn and every corner of it seemed to burst with the treasures of the farm. Swallows and martins flew twittering around the eaves, and rows of cooing pigeons enjoyed the sunshine on the roof. Fat pigs grunted in the comfort of their pens. There were geese in the pond and turkeys cockerels and hens in the farmyard.

Ichabod's mouth wateredas ge looked at this rich promise of luxurious winter food. He imgined pigeon pie, geese in gravy, and ducks in dishes, covered in onion sauce. Instead of turkey he saw a roast bird with a necklace of savory sausages.

Ichabod rolled his great green eyes over the aft meadow lands, the rich fields of wheat, of buckwheat, of Indian corn, and the orchards full of fruit, which surrounded Van Tassel's home, and his heart longed for the young woman who was to inherit these lands. He imagined selling everything, and investing the money in land. He imagined himself married to Katrina and with a whole family of children, all of them traveling in a wagon loaded with household items. He saw himself riding a fine horse, setting out for a new life in Kentucky, Tennessee- or who knowa where!

When he entered the house, the conquest of this heart was complete. It was a spacious farmhouse, with a sloping roof, built in the style of the first Dutch settlers. Farmin and fiching equipement was stored under the eaves of the house. There was a spinning wheel at one end of house, and a churn at the other, showing the different uses to wi h the porch was put.

In the hall, arranged on adresser, there were rowa of glittering pewter. In one corner, cloth, Indian corn, and dried apples and peaches, hung in sacks along the walls. Through the open parlor door he saw carved chairs, and dark wood tables shining like mirrors, Colored bird's eggscwere suspended above the mantelpiece, a great astrich egg was hung from the centre of the room, and a cupboard displayed silver ornaments and china plates.