Легенда о Сонной Лощине
Found Among The Papers Of The Late Diedrich Knickerbocker.
Asheapproachedalittlenearer,hethoughthesawsomethingwhite,hanginginthemidstofthetree:hepausedandceasedwhistlingbut,onlookingmorenarrowly,perceivedthatitwasaplacewherethetreehadbeenscathedbylightning,andthewhitewoodlaidbare.Suddenlyheheardagroan—histeethchattered,andhiskneessmoteagainstthesaddle:itwasbuttherubbingofonehugeboughuponanother,astheywereswayedaboutbythebreeze.Hepassedthetreeinsafety,butnewperilslaybeforehim.
Abouttwohundredyardsfromthetree,asmallbrookcrossedtheroad,andranintoamarshyandthickly-woodedglen,knownbythenameofWiley’sSwamp.Afewroughlogs,laidsidebyside,servedforabridgeoverthisstream.Onthatsideoftheroadwherethebrookenteredthewood,agroupofoaksandchestnuts,mattedthickwithwildgrape-vines,threwacavernousgloomoverit.Topassthisbridgewastheseveresttrial.ItwasatthisidenticalspotthattheunfortunateAndréwascaptured,andunderthecovertofthosechestnutsandvineswerethesturdyyeomenconcealedwhosurprisedhim.Thishaseversincebeenconsideredahauntedstream,andfearfularethefeelingsoftheschoolboywhohastopassitaloneafterdark.
Asheapproachedthestream,hisheartbegantothump;hesummonedup,however,allhisresolution,gavehishorsehalfascoreofkicksintheribs,andattemptedtodashbrisklyacrossthebridge;butinsteadofstartingforward,theperverseoldanimalmadealateralmovement,andranbroadsideagainstthefence.
