History YMMV / TheLegendofSleepyHollow

* AdaptedOut: In the LittleGoldenBook version of the story, Katrina is seen in one illustration, but is not mentioned throughout the narrative. The reason given for Brom's dislike of Ichabod is that he is "strange." (???)  And in multiple audio versions of the story (the kind you used to find on cheapo CDs available at grocery stores around Halloween), both Katrina AND Brom are written out, which means the story boils down to: "Ichabod Crane meets the Headless Horseman, and is never seen again. The End."

* AdaptedOut: In the LittleGoldenBook version of the story, Katrina is seen in one illustration, but is not mentioned throughout the narrative. The reason given for Brom's dislike of Ichabod is that he is "strange." (???)  And in multiple audio versions of the story (the kind you used to find on cheapo CDs available at grocery stores around Halloween), both Katrina AND Brom are written out, which means the story boils down to: "Ichabod Crane meets the Headless Horseman, and is never seen again. The End."

* AdaptedOut: In the LittleGoldenBook version of the story, Katrina is seen in one illustration, but is not mentioned throughout the narrative. The reason given for Brom's dislike of Ichabod is that he is "strange." (???)  And in multiple audio versions of the story (the kind you used to find on cheapo CDs available at grocery stores around Halloween), both Katrina AND Brom are written out, which means the story boils down to: "Ichabod Crane meets the Headless Horseman, and is never seen again. The End."

* SignatureScene: The climatic chase scene is by far the most famous part of the story.

* MisaimedFandom: At least as far as original author intent is concerned anyway; Several readers (as well as many adaptations via AdaptationalHeroism) paint Ichabod Crane as a misunderstood nerd protagonist who's bullied by Brom and [[EntitledToHaveYou deserves to be with Katrina]] despite the fact that he's a gold-digging coward that we aren't meant to find sympathetic, with several critics (such as WebVideo/ThePhilosofan) observing that many self-proclaimed "nice guys" copy this kind of behavior. Not even [[ComicBook/TheScarecrow fictional characters]] are immune from this misconception!

* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: A modern reader would likely find Ichabod and Brom both equally unsympathetic. Ichabod's essentially a sneering, self-important, arrogant, mooching GoldDigger, and Brom Bones is a thuggish, anti-intellectual bully -- or at least a WellIntentionedExtremist, judging by the AlternateCharacterInterpretation example above.

** The Horseman: a ScoobyDooHoax by Brom Bones used to scare Ichabod away, or a real demonic figure back from the dead to haunt the forest?
*** Some food for thought here on both sides of the argument. Earlier in the text it is said the Horseman is riding looking for his head. Meaning he doesn't have a head. When Ichabod sees the Horseman he believes he is carrying a head that he throws at him. Afterwards a smashed pumpkin is found -- all of this seems to indicate Brom dressed as the Horseman to scare Ichabod off. However from the other angle the Headless Horseman has no head, meaning he has no eyes. He certainly can't see too well if he was real. We can't undermine the abilities of the horse there either. The pumpkin is seemingly used as a projectile, which it succeeds in getting Ichabod off his horse. This is a pretty good soldier-like move, something the Horseman was. And after all, his own head was taken off by a projectile! But then again, Brom could also have hidden his head and used the same strategy as he was described in the story to be 'skilled at horsemanship' (thus able to ride a horse even if his sight is impaired by a piece of cloth or such), strong and mischievous.
** Also due note when we hear about Ichabod in New York, he has picked up a lot of ambition since leaving Sleepy Hollow. All throughout the story, Ichabod is very much more a laid-back guy, going from house to house seemingly content with his lifestyle. He even has an excuse as to why he moved which seems a bit convenient. As perhaps New York Ichabod isn't Ichabod as he once was, but the horseman with Ichabod's head.
*** For that matter, even if it ''was'' Brom, did he really just scare Crane off, or use the locals' belief in the Horseman to get away with [[MurderTheHypotenuse a much darker manner of disposing of his rival]]? As such, it's possible that New York Ichabod doesn't sound like Ichabod because it's a fake story, or because he's not actually Ichabod.

** Another one is that it ''was'' a ScoobyDooHoax, but it was done by an unnamed ''third'' suitor to Katrina - whose plan was to kill Ichabod and [[FrameUp pin the murder on Brom Bones]]. The text mentions that Brom Bones laughed at the incident nervously in the later years - implying that the townsfolk ''did'' suspect that Brom may have had something to do with Crane's disappearance. Of course, since the text seems to imply Brom is responsible, could this be an attempt at an UnreliableNarrator attempting to smear Brom in hopes of getting him imprisoned?
*** Could Brom also be laughing nervously because he knew something? Such as if say, Ichabod ''was'' dead, but he fell off his horse and hit his head and Brom (or one of his friends) hid the body ''because'' he would be suspected of foul play.

* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: A modern reader would likely find Ichabod and Brom both equally unsympathetic. Ichabod's essentially a sneering, self-important, arrogant, mooching GoldDigger, and Brom Bones is a thuggish, anti-intellectual bully -- or at least a WellIntentionedExtremist, judging by the AlternateCharacterInterpretation example above.

* ValuesDissonance: A modern reader would likely find Ichabod and Brom both equally unsympathetic. Ichabod's essentially a sneering, self-important, arrogant, mooching GoldDigger, and Brom Bones is a thuggish, anti-intellectual bully -- or at least a WellIntentionedExtremist, judging by the AlternateCharacterInterpretation example above.

* ValuesDissonance: A modern reader would likely find Ichabod and Brom both equally unsympathetic. Ichabod's essentially a sneering, self-important, arrogant, mooching GoldDigger, and Brom Bones is a thuggish, anti-intellectual bully -- or at least a WellIntentionedExtremist, judging by the AlternateCharacterInterpretation example above. Throw in the hints that Katrina was just manipulating both of them, and you could very well end up thinking it's [[TooBleakStoppedCaring Too Bleak and Stop Caring]].

* ValuesDissonance: A modern reader would likely find Ichabod and Brom both equally unsympathetic. Ichabod's essentially a sneering, self-important, arrogant, mooching GoldDigger, and Brom Bones is a thuggish, anti-intellectual bully -- or at least a WellIntentionedExtremist, judging by the AlternateCharacterInterpretation example above. Throw in the hints that Katrina was just manipulating both of them, and you could very well end up thinking it's TooBleakStoppedCaring.

* ValuesDissonance: A modern reader would likely find Ichabod and Brom both equally unsympathetic. Ichabod's essentially a sneering, self-important, arrogant, mooching gold digger, and Brom Bones is a thuggish, anti-intellectual bully -- or at least a WellIntentionedExtremist, judging by the AlternateCharacterInterpretation example above. Throw in the hints that Katrina was just manipulating both of them, and you could very well end up thinking its TooBleakStoppedCaring.

*** Some food for thought here on both sides of the argument. Earlier in the text it is said the Horseman is riding looking for his head. Meaning he doesn't have a head. When Ichabod sees the Horseman he believes he is carrying a head that he throws at him. Afterwards a smashed pumpkin is found -- all of this seems to indicate Brom dressed as the Horseman to scare Ichabod off. However from the other angle the Headless Horseman has no head, meaning he has no eyes. He certainly can't see too well if he was real. We can't undermine the abilities of the horse there either. The pumpkin is seemingly used as a projectile, which it succeeds in getting Ichabod off his horse. This is a pretty good soldier-like move, something the Horseman was. And after all, his own head was taken off by a projectile! But then again Brom could also have hidden his head and used the same strategy as he was described in the story to be 'skilled at horsemanship' (thus able to ride a horse even if his sight is impaired by a piece of cloth or such), strong and mischievous.
** Also due note when we hear about Ichabod in New York, he has picked up a lot of ambition since leaving Sleepy Hollow. All throughout the story Ichabod is very much more a laidback guy going from house to house seemingly content with his lifestyle. He even has an excuse as to why he moved which seems a bit convenient. As perhaps New York Ichabod isn't Ichabod as he once was, but the horseman with Ichabod's head.
*** For that matter, even if it ''was'' Brom, did he really just scare Crane off, or use the locals' belief in the Horseman to get away with [[MurderTheHypotenuse a much darker manner of disposing of his rival]]? As such could New York Ichabod doesn't sound like Ichabod because it's a fake story.
** At least one adaptation had it both ways: Bones tried to scare off Crane as a fake horseman but gets knocked out in the process, only for ''the real'' Horseman to show up!
** One thing that's rather interesting -- Disney actually has it rather faithfully, although [[AdaptationalVillainy playing Brom Bones's villainy up a tad more]], making it seem like TheBadGuyWins. But at the same time, try watching it with an adult perspective. As Creator/DougWalker points out in his "Disneycember" short covering the adaptation, Ichabod is actually kind of a dick, helping a baker just so he can pilfer one of her pies and being quite explicitly interested in Katrina because of how much money and food he can enjoy after marrying into her wealthy family - he even has an ImagineSpot in which Katrina's father disappears, leaving behind all his gold rings, shiny buttons and other bling, and Ichabod appears in his spot, now wearing his bling.

** Another one is that it ''was'' a ScoobyDooHoax, but it was done by an unnamed ''third'' suitor to Katrina - whose plan was to kill Ichabod and frame the murder on Brom Bones. The text mentions that Brom Bones laughed at the incident nervously in the later years - implying that the townsfolk ''did'' suspect that Brom may have had something to do with Crane's disappearance. Of course, since the text seems to imply Brom is responsible, could this be an attempt at an UnreliableNarrator attempting to smear Brom in hopes of getting him imprisoned?

* HilariousInHindsight: Mr. Irving at times admits he made stuff up, such as admitting his inspiration from older tales mixed into the new world. But oddly enough there are some coincidences that have been uncovered that could be cited to make it seem like the ghost story of this tale was authentic but it's more likely they are [[AccidentallyCorrectWriting nothing but hilarious coincidences]]. Specifically a revolutionary war battle record did indicate the death of a soldier and his horse via canon fire. And if they had been given a group burial they would have been buried in the graveyard where the fictional Horseman rides out from.[[note]]At the time group burials from warfare did happen but sometimes were more partisan. Meaning some areas may have just scooped up everybody, others only their own fallen. As of reporting it's not verifiable to a degree most histrionic sources would like whether that did happen on that specific battle. If it did, the burial would most certainly have been there though.[[/note]] While many towns have always had their ghost stories, there's little evidence at all that this actual event had influence on Irving or was linked to any purported haunting before this tale was told. In fact Irving seemed more under the belief he was Americanizing a German legend he knew about in writing this story. The general idea that there would later be an account of an individual to fit Irving's ghost near North Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow is at least funny. Of course, these are common and vague coincidences (cannons weren't a rarity in war, nor death by cannon, nor death to the solider and horse) and don't entirely add up to any major commotion. Let's just hope that guy's ghost doesn't try some {{Defictionalization}} on tourists, or [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation townsfolks in his name either!]]

* OneSceneWonder: The story isn't even 30 pages long, and Ichabod's entire encounter with the Horseman only lasts ''1 and a half pages''--but it's also the most memorable part of the whole tale.

* ValuesDissonance: A modern reader would likely find Ichabod and Brom both equally unsympathetic. Ichabod's essentially a sneering, self-important, arrogant, mooching gold digger, and Brom Bones is a thuggish, anti-intellectual bully -- or at least a WellIntentionedExtremist, judging by the AlternateCharacterInterpretation example above. Throw in the hints that Katrina was just manipulating both of them, and you could very well end up with DarknessInducedAudienceApathy.