Легенда о Сонной Лощине
Found Among The Papers Of The Late Diedrich Knickerbocker.
Inthisby-placeofnaturethereabode,inaremoteperiodofAmericanhistory,thatistosay,somethirtyyearssince,aworthywightofthenameofIchabodCrane,whosojourned,or,asheexpressedit,“tarried,”inSleepyHollow,forthepurposeofinstructingthechildrenofthevicinity.HewasanativeofConnecticut,aStatewhichsuppliestheUnionwithpioneersforthemindaswellasfortheforest,andsendsforthyearlyitslegionsoffrontierwoodmenandcountryschoolmasters.ThecognomenofCranewasnotinapplicabletohisperson.Hewastall,butexceedinglylank,withnarrowshoulders,longarmsandlegs,handsthatdangledamileoutofhissleeves,feetthatmighthaveservedforshovels,andhiswholeframemostlooselyhungtogether.Hisheadwassmall,andflatattop,withhugeears,largegreenglassyeyes,andalongsnipenose,sothatitlookedlikeaweather-cockpercheduponhisspindlenecktotellwhichwaythewindblew.Toseehimstridingalongtheprofileofahillonawindyday,withhisclothesbaggingandflutteringabouthim,onemighthavemistakenhimforthegeniusoffaminedescendingupontheearth,orsomescarecrowelopedfromacornfield.
Hisschoolhousewasalowbuildingofonelargeroom,rudelyconstructedoflogs;thewindowspartlyglazed,andpartlypatchedwithleavesofoldcopybooks.
