Interesting Halloween Tale

[IronNoggin]

Headless Horseman Legend Has Roots in the American Revolution​

When most Americans hear of "Hessian soldiers," two things usually come to mind: the German troops Gen. George Washington's Continental Army soldiers defeated after "Crossing the Delaware" on Christmas 1776, and the legend of the "Headless Horsemen." Yet, more than 37,000 "Hessians" fought for the British during the American Revolution, playing a much larger role in the conflict than many may realize.

Washington Irving’s story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is, much like the young country in which it was written, an amalgamation of Old-World vibes and superstitions reworked with a uniquely American spin. His story of the Headless Horseman, and the included remembrance of the real-life Hessian soldiers who helped color the tale, far overshadowing the older legends it was based on.

https://www.hookandbarrel.com/entertainment/american-revolution-headless-horseman-hessians

 

[Swamp Fox]

Great find.

Sleepy Hollow is one of my favorite classically American stories.

I very much appreciated the tie-in to more ancient headless warriors . The Green Knight and his acquaintances are on with their heads/off with their heads so much in various legends, though, that it's hard to keep up and stay with the thread all the way to the Hessian.

But the Celts are always good for some headless spirits. Magic 8 Ball says they are probably where Halloween comes from, anyway.

Again, thanks for the article.

Make Halloween great again!