Introduction "Lets go to the mountains," Rip said to Wolf. "I don't want to see my wife and I don't want to listen to her." One day Rip Van Winkle, a farmer, goes to the mountains with his dog, Wolf. There he meets some old men. Who are these strange men? Why are they there? And what are they drinking? The Legend if Sleepy Hollow is about a teacher, Ichabod Crane. He likes listening to stories about ghosts. But are there ghosts in Sleepy Hollow? And is Ichabod going to see a ghost? The stories in this book are about people-and about ghosts. There are a lot of questions in the stories, but not many answers. Washington Irving (1783-1859) is a very famous American writer. He lived in New York, but later he worked in Europe for seventeen years. Then he went back to the United States and lived near the Hudson River. In the years 1770 to 1810, people came to America from Holland and lived in the mountains near the Hudson River. The stories in this book are about these people. At that time, America was British.The king was King George Ill. Then, in 1775, Britain and America started a war. The war finished in 1783, and there was a new country-the United States of America. RIP VAN WINKLE Rip's Wife is Angry There was a small town in America. Near this town were some very beautiful mountains, with many trees on them. The mountains were beautiful-but they were strange, too. "Maybe ghosts live there," the people in the town said. They said this because sometimes strange noises came from the mountains. A man lived in this small town and his name was Rip Van Winkle. The people in the town liked him. He liked talking to people and he liked helping them.. Rip was a farmer, but he didn't like working. He liked going to the bar in the town and talking to the men. They talked often, sometimes every day. The name of the bar was the King George. King George was the British king, and America was British then. Rip had a wife, a daughter, and a son. His wife was always angry because Rip didn't work. She was angry, too, because he talked in the bar all day. "Rip, stop talking! Go to work!" she said. "You sit all day with your friends at the bar. But we have children, Rip. We have a farm. Come home now and work!" Rip had one very good friend-his dog, Wolf. "Let's go to the mountains," Rip said to Wolf. "I don't want to see my wife and I don't want to listen to her." <1> He liked going to the bar in the town and talking to the men. <2> Rip Meets a Strange Man One beautiful day, Rip and his dog walked to the mountains and stayed there all day. "I love the mountains, and the trees. My wife isn't here and I'm very happy with you, my friend," Rip said to Wolf. "But now it's evening, and my wife's waiting for me at home." ,They started to go down the mountain, but suddenly there was a noise: "Rip Van Winkle! Rip Van Winkle!" "Who's there?" Rip asked. "Who's calling my name?" The mountain was quiet. Rip and his dog were afraid. "What was that noise?" Rip asked Wolf. Then he looked down the mountain, and there was an old man. He had a lot of white hair and a long beard. The man walked up the mountain. He walked slowly, because he had a big barrel on his back. "This is strange," Rip said. "People don't usually come up here. And the man has a big barrel with him. What's in it? Maybe he's from my town. Come, Wolf, let's help him." Rip and his dog walked down the mountain to the man. He wasn't from Rip's town, and Rip didn't know him. Rip looked at him, and the man looked at Rip. "Hello," Rip said. The man didn't answer. "Hello. What's your name?" Rip asked, but the man didn't answer. "Do you want my help?" Rip asked. "You have a big barrel on your back.. Is it heavy? Can I help you with it?" The man didn't answer, but he looked at Rip. <3> They walked and walked up the mountain <4> "Yes, you want my help," Rip said to the man. Rip went with the man. They walked and walked up the mountain. The barrel was on Rip's back now. "Where are we going?" Rip asked. But the old man didn't answer. Strange noises came from the mountain. "What are those noises?" Rip asked. Again, the man didn't answer. Rip Drinks from the Barrel The man and Rip came to a big building in the mountains. There were a lot of men there, but Rip didn't know them. They had very long, white beards, and they were old. They played a game, but Rip didn't know it. The old men looked at Rip and stopped playing their game. "Hello," Rip said to the men. The men didn't answer. They looked at Rip, and then looked at the barrel. "What's in this barrel?" Rip asked. He looked in the barrel. There was drink in it. "Do you want some?" Rip asked. They looked at him, but they didn't answer. "Yes, you want some," he said. The old men had a drink from the barrel. Then Rip had a drink from it, too. He liked it and he had a lot of drinks. The men had a lot of drinks too, but they didn't talk. They played their game again. "This is strange," Rip said. "They're drinking, but they aren't talking." Rip wasn't afraid. He was happy and he didn't want <5> "I want to sleep now," he said, and he closed his eyes. <6> to go home. It was late in the evening, but Rip stayed with the men for a long time. "I want to sleep now," he said, and he closed his eyes. Rip Goes Home Rip opened his eyes. He was under a tree, in the mountains. It was morning. He remembered the strange men, and the strange building. "Oh!" he said. "I'm in the mountains. I didn't go home. I stayed here all night. The men! Where are the men? And where's the building? That drink was bad, very bad. My wife! I know she's angry. And where's Wolf?" Rip wanted to find his dog. He looked and he looked. He called, but Wolf didn't come. Slowly, Rip walked down the mountain to his town. He was unhappy, because he didn't have his dog. He was afraid, because he didn't want to see his wife. He looked at the houses in the town. They were. strange. He looked at the people, but he didn't know these people. There were children in the town, but Rip didn't know them. The people weren't the same, and the houses weren't the same. "Who are these people? Maybe I'm not in my town. Oh, that drink was bad!" he said. Then Rip walked to his house. It was very old. "Wife, wife, where are you? Children, where are you? Are you there? Please answer me!" Rip said. But his wife wasn't there and his children weren't there. "Wolf, Wolf, you're here!" Rip said. But the dog didn't know Rip. <7> "Are you my dog?" Rip asked. He didn't understand. Where was his family? Why was his house old? Why were the people in the town strange? Who were they? He was unhappy. He walked quickly from his house to the bar in the town. He wanted to find his friends.. "Who am I?" Rip walked to the bar, but the bar wasn't the same. The name of the bar wasn't the King George. It had a new name- The Union Hotel. A lot of people were there. Rip looked for his friends. "Excuse me. I'm looking for some people. They're my friends. They come here every day," he said to the men in the bar. "Who are these people?" the men asked, and Rip said their names. "No, no, no. They don't live here now," the men said. "They lived here yesterday. Where are they now?" Rip asked. "Yesterday? No, no, they weren't here yesterday. They're dead," the men said. "Dead?" Rip said. "How? When?" "A lot of people are dead. Remember, the war?" "War? Which war?" Rip asked. "The war with Britain," the men said. "I don't remember a war with Britain," Rip said. "You don't remember? We had a war with Britain. Now we're a new country-the United States of America!" they said. <8> "What?" Rip said. "Yes," they said. "But, old man, who are you?" "Old man? Am 1 an old man?" Rip asked. "Yes, you are. You have a long, white beard," they said. "Oh-I am old. My name's Rip Van Winkle," he said. "Rip Van Winkle! No, you aren't Rip Van Winkle!" said the men. Many people from the town came to the bar. They wanted to listen. "Yes, yes, 1 am Rip Van Winkle. Please believe me, I'm Rip Van Winkle," Rip said. "No, no. Rip Van Winkle was here in this town-but not now," the people in the town said. Rip didn't understand. The people didn't believe him. Why? "People here don't know me. 1 don't have a home, a family, or a dog," Rip said. He wasn't happy, and he started to walk slowly away. Rip's Daughter A young woman came to the hotel. She looked at Rip. "Don't go," she said. "You're unhappy and afraid. 1 can see that. Stay here with us." "Do 1 know you?" he asked. "No," she answered. "Young woman, who is your father?" Rip asked. "Rip Van Winkle," she answered. "But he doesn't live here now. He went to the mountains with his dog, and he didn't come home." "Where's your mother?" he asked. <9> "Daughter, I'm your father. I'm Rip Van Winkle!" <10> "She's dead," the young woman answered. Rip wasn't unhappy about that! "Daughter, I'm your father. I'm Rip Van iWinkle!" he said. "What?" she said. People came out of the hotel and listened to them. An old woman looked at Rip. I "Yes, it is you, it is Rip Van Winkle! I remember you. You're home, Rip!" the old woman said. Rip was very happy. "Daughter, you're not a child. You're a young woman," Rip said. "Yes, father, I'm a young woman, and I have children," she said. "Daughter, I don't understand. Yesterday you were a child, and now you're not. Yesterday, I was, young, and today I'm old. Yesterday, I had friends at this bar, and today they're not here. They're dead. I don't understand," Rip said. "Father, it wasn't yesterday. You walked to the mountains with your dog in 1770. Now it's 1790. Twenty years, father, twenty years!" she answered. "What?" Rip asked. "Yes," said his daughter. "Twenty years. Where did you go, father?" Rip said, "Yesterday, I was in the mountains with my dog. There was a strange man there and I walked with him to a strange building. There were a lot of strange men near this building. They played a game, and we had many drinks. It was late, and I closed my eyes. This morning, I opened my eyes and I was under a tree in the mountains. I came home and now I'm here." <11> "Did you sleep?" his daughter asked. "Yes, I did," he answered. The people in the town listened to Rip. A lot of people didn't believe his story. But one man said, "I believe you. I understand. The mountains are strange.. There are strange noises up there. I hear them, too." "What noises?" people asked. "1 .don't know. Maybe they're ghosts. But I believe this man and his story," the man said. Then the people in the town believed Rip, too. Rip is Home Again Rip lived with his daughter and her family. Rip's son lived with them, but he didn't like working. He didn't work on the farm. Rip didn't work because he was old. He played with the children and he talked to the men in the hotel. Some men were his old friends. Rip liked the people in the town, and they liked him. He had new friends. They talked to him about the war with Britain, and about their new country, the United States of America. People often came to Rip and asked, "Are you Rip Van Winkle?" "I am," he answered. "Did you sleep for twenty years in the mountains?" "Yes, I did." "Can we hear your story?" they asked. "Yes," he said. And he started his story-the story of Rip Van Winkle. <12> Rip didn't work because he was old. <13> THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW Tarry Town Tarry Town was a small town near the Hudson River. Sleepy Hollow was a place near the town. "There are ghosts in Sleepy Hollow," some people said. 'Ichabod Crane wasn't from Tarry Town, but he was a teacher there. He was a very good teacher. He played with the big boys after school, and he walked home with the small boys. He liked meeting their mothers and sisters. He liked eating, and they often had food for him. Ichabod was a tall, thin man. He was very friendly and he had many friends in the town. He stayed with a lot of families because he didn't have a house in Tarry Town. He helped the farmers and played with the children. He liked hearing people's stories. "Do you know any stories about ghosts?" he often asked. "Yes," they said. And they talked about the ghosts in the country near the town. Ichabod went into the country after school. He liked reading there, but he was sometimes afraid. Were there ghosts? Did he believe the stories? Ichabod and Katrina There were a lot of young, beautiful girls in Tarry Town. Ichabod liked them, and he liked talking to them. Katrina Van Tassel was eighteen, and very, very beautiful. Her father had a big farm, with many fruit <14> Ichabod Crane wasn't from Tarry Town, but he was a teacher there. <15> trees and animals. Ichabod liked Katrina and he wanted her father's farm. "Maybe I can marry Katrina," Ichabod said. "She's beautiful and her father has a lot of money. Katrina can be my wife, and I can have the farm and the money." Ichabod was often at Katrina's house. He was a good singer and he was the family's singing teacher. Katrina's father liked Ichabod and they often talked in' the evening. But a lot of men in Tarry Town liked Katrina. They wanted to marry her, too, and they wanted her father's money. Brom Van Brunt was a tall, strong man with short, black hair. He was a very good horse rider, and he liked riding in the country with his friends. He often visited Katrina. Katrina liked Ichabod and Brom. She talked to them and she walked with them in the country. Sometimes, Brom went to the Van Tassels' farm and Ichabod was there. Brom didn't like this, and he stopped visiting Katrina. A Letter from Mr. Van Tassel One beautiful October afternoon, Ichabod was at school with the boys. A man came to the school. He had a letter for Ichabod. It was from Baltus Van Tassel, Katrina's father. "Please come to my farm this evening, Ichabod," it said. "Many people from the town are coming, We are going to eat and talk. We are going to sing and dance." Ichabod was very happy. "Boys'," he said, "go home. Go home and play." "What-now? Go home?" they said. "Yes. It's a beautiful day. You're good students, and <16> you work wen.You can go home now. This afternoon is a vacation for you and for me," he said. "Let's go!" they said. The Van Tassels' house wasn't near the school, and Ichabod wanted to get there quickly. He walked to the house of an old farmer, Hans Van Ripper. This man had a horse. Ichabod arrived at the man's house. .. "Excuse me!" Ichabod said. "Yes?" Mr.Van Ripper answered. "I want to go to the Van Tassels' home. Can I have your horse for this evening?" "Yes, you tan have him. But Gunpowder is very old and he only has one eye. He can't run very quickly. Do you want him?" he asked. "Yes, please," Ichabod said. "Can you ride?" Mr.Van Ripper asked Ichabod. . "Yes, but I'm not a good rider. Old Gunpowder is good for me," Ichabod answered. Ichabod started to go to the Van Tassels' farm on the old horse. He went near Sleepy Hollow. Ichabod looked at the beautiful brown and yellow trees, the green country and the mountains. He was very happy. "Oh, this beautiful country, and my beautiful Katrina!" he said to his horse. At the Van Tassels' Farm Ichabod arrived at the Van Tassels' farm in the evening. There were a lot of people from the town there-young, beautiful girls, old women, young and old men, and a lot of families. Katrina was there, and Brom was there, too. <17> Ichabod was very happy because there was a lot of food. He talked to people and he danced with Katrina. Brom watched them and he was unhappy. Some people from Sleepy Hollow were there. They talked about the strange noises and ghosts there. One story was about a woman in Sleepy Hollow. "She's a white ghost. We can hear her in the winter," they said. They talked about a big tree near a river, too. "We can hear noises near the tree," they said. "There's a ghost in that tree." One story was very interesting. It was a story about a horse rider. He was a ghost and he didn't have a head! He lived in Sleepy Hollow, and the people were afraid of him. "He's often near the small river in Sleepy Hollow," a woman said. "Remember Mr. Brouwer? He went to Sleepy Hollow one night, and the ghost was there. He threw Mr. Brouwer in the small river." "Yes, we remember that story," people said. "I know that ghost," Brom said. "He was in Sleepy Hollow one night, and I was there, too. But I'm a very good horse rider and he didn't catch me.." He had a smile on his face. Some people didn't believe him, but Ichabod believed every story. Then it was late. "Let's go home," the farmers said. Ichabod stayed at the Van Tassels' house because he wanted to talk to Katrina. But Katrina didn't want to talk to him. "It's late Ichabod. Go home," she said. "I'm going now," he said. He was unhappy, but he went. <18> Brom watched them and he was unhappy. <19> Ichabod in Sleepy Hollow Ichabod was on his old horse. It was night, and it was very dark and quiet. In Sleepy Hollow Ichabod remembered the ghost stories and he was afraid. "Maybe the ghosts are here now," he said. Ichabod came to a tree. There was a white thing in the tree. Was it the tree with the ghost? There were strange noises. His horse was afraid, too, but it walked slowly. "Please, horse, walk quickly! I don't want to be here, in Sleepy Hollow.. I want to go home quickly!" he said. Suddenly, his horse stopped near a small river. "Go, Gunpowder. Go across the river!" Ichabod said. But the horse didn't move. Was there a person near Ichabod and his horse? Ichabod looked. It was dark. He looked again, and there was a big, strong man on a black horse on the road. "Who's there?" Ichabod called. The strange man didn't answer. "Who are you? Talk to me! What's your name? Come here. I want to see you," Ichabod said. Again the man didn't answer. Was he a ghost? Did he have a head? Ichabod's horse was very afraid, and started to run. The strange man's horse started to run, too, near Ichabod's horse. Who was the man? "Run quickly, Old Gunpowder, run quickly!" Ichabod said to his horse. The strange man and his horse were there. Ichabod looked at the man. Then the man came near Ichabod. He didn't have a head! It was the ghost! Ichabod looked again. The ghost's head was there, but it was on the horse's back. Ichabod was very afraid now. <20> Then the man came near Ichabod. He didn't have a head! <21> "Run!" Ichabod said to his horse. But the ghost's horse came after him. The two horses went quickly down the road. The ghost was a very good rider, but Ichabod's horse went in front of the ghost. Ichabod looked behind him. The ghost had his head in his hands. Then the ghost threw his head at Ichabod! "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Ichabod said. Where is Ichabod Crane? Ichabod's horse walked home in the night. Hans Van Ripper looked at his horse in the morning. "You're home, Old Gunpowder, but where's Ichabod?" Mr.Van Ripper said. Ichabod wasn't in the town, and he wasn't at school. The boys waited, but their teacher didn't come. He wasn't at the Van Tassels' house. "Where is he?" the people in the town asked. "Maybe he's in Sleepy Hollow," some people said. "He was there, on his horse, after the dance. Maybe he's there now." Some people went to Sleepy Hollow. They looked for Ichabod. "Ichabod! Ichabod! Are you here, Ichabod? Where are you?" they asked. They walked and looked. There was a hat near the river. "Is this Ichabod's hat?" a man asked. "Yes it is," a woman answered. They looked in the river, but Ichabod wasn't there. "What's this?" a man asked. <22> There was a pumpkin near Ichabod's hat. "Why is there a pumpkin here?" the man asked. "Maybe a person threw this pumpkin at him," the woman said. "Who?" the man asked. "Maybe it was the ghost! Maybe the ghost threw it," she answered. "Is Ichabod dead?" he asked. "I don't know," she answered. "Let's go back to town. Maybe he's there now." They walked back to Tarry Town. People asked, "Was Ichabod in Sleepy Hollow?" "No, he wasn't," they answered. "Where is he?" the people asked. They all talked about Ichabod. "He's dead," some people said. "Maybe the ghost rider in Sleepy Hollow threw the pumpkin at Ichabod, and now he's dead." A lot of people in the town believed this, but some people didn't believe it. Brom and Katrina The people in Tarry Town were unhappy. They liked Ichabod. They didn't go to Sleepy Hollow, because they were afraid of the place. They didn't want to see the ghost. A new teacher came to Tarry Town, and the boys went to school again. Katrina, the beautiful daughter of Mr. Van Tassel, married Brom Van Brunt. People often talked about Ichabod Crane. A long time after this, an old farmer went to New <23> The Brom smiled. He looked at his wife, Katrina. <24> York. He came back to Tarry Town and said, "Ichabod Crane isn't dead! He lives in New York." "Why did he go there?" the people asked him. "On the night of the dance at the Van Tassels' farm, he went to Sleepy Hollow. He was afraid of the ghosts there, and of the ghost rider in Sleepy Hollow. He went away." Brom and Katrina were there. They listened to this story of the big, strong ghost rider and Ichabod Crane. "Do you believe the story about Ichabod and the ghost rider?" Brom asked people. "Do you believe it?" they asked him. "Maybe. I don't know. It's very strange," he said. Then Brom smiled. He looked at his wife, Katrina. He had her, and he had her father's farm. Ichabod wasn't there and he was very happy! Brom smiled again. <25>