Легенда о Сонной Лощине
Found Among The Papers Of The Late Diedrich Knickerbocker.
Thewholeneighborhoodaboundswithlocaltales,hauntedspots,andtwilightsuperstitions;starsshootandmeteorsglareofteneracrossthevalleythaninanyotherpartofthecountry,andthenightmare,withherwholeninefold,seemstomakeitthefavoritesceneofhergambols.
Thedominantspirit,however,thathauntsthisenchantedregion,andseemstobecommander-in-chiefofallthepowersoftheair,istheapparitionofafigureonhorseback,withoutahead.ItissaidbysometobetheghostofaHessiantrooper,whoseheadhadbeencarriedawaybyacannon-ball,insomenamelessbattleduringtheRevolutionaryWar,andwhoiseverandanonseenbythecountryfolkhurryingalonginthegloomofnight,asifonthewingsofthewind.Hishauntsarenotconfinedtothevalley,butextendattimestotheadjacentroads,andespeciallytothevicinityofachurchatnogreatdistance.Indeed,certainofthemostauthentichistoriansofthoseparts,whohavebeencarefulincollectingandcollatingthefloatingfactsconcerningthisspectre,allegethatthebodyofthetrooperhavingbeenburiedinthechurchyard,theghostridesforthtothesceneofbattleinnightlyquestofhishead,andthattherushingspeedwithwhichhesometimespassesalongtheHollow,likeamidnightblast,isowingtohisbeingbelated,andinahurrytogetbacktothechurchyardbeforedaybreak.
