Легенда о Сонной Лощине
Found Among The Papers Of The Late Diedrich Knickerbocker.
Nosignsoflifeoccurrednearhim,butoccasionallythemelancholychirpofacricket,orperhapsthegutturaltwangofabullfrogfromaneighboringmarsh,asifsleepinguncomfortablyandturningsuddenlyinhisbed.
Allthestoriesofghostsandgoblinsthathehadheardintheafternoonnowcamecrowdinguponhisrecollection.Thenightgrewdarkeranddarker;thestarsseemedtosinkdeeperinthesky,anddrivingcloudsoccasionallyhidthemfromhissight.Hehadneverfeltsolonelyanddismal.Hewas,moreover,approachingtheveryplacewheremanyofthescenesoftheghoststorieshadbeenlaid.Inthecentreoftheroadstoodanenormoustulip-tree,whichtoweredlikeagiantabovealltheothertreesoftheneighborhood,andformedakindoflandmark.Itslimbsweregnarledandfantastic,largeenoughtoformtrunksforordinarytrees,twistingdownalmosttotheearth,andrisingagainintotheair.ItwasconnectedwiththetragicalstoryoftheunfortunateAndré,whohadbeentakenprisonerhardby;andwasuniversallyknownbythenameofMajorAndré’stree.Thecommonpeopleregardeditwithamixtureofrespectandsuperstition,partlyoutofsympathyforthefateofitsill-starrednamesake,andpartlyfromthetalesofstrangesights,anddolefullamentations,toldconcerningit.
AsIchabodapproachedthisfearfultree,hebegantowhistle;hethoughthiswhistlewasanswered;itwasbutablastsweepingsharplythroughthedrybranches.
