One cold winter night, early in the New Year, a certain Dutchman left the tavern¹ in Tarrytown and started walking to his home in the hollow nearby. His path led next to the old Sleepy Hollow cemetery² where a headless Hessian soldier was buried. At midnight, the Dutchman came within site of the graveyard³. The weather had warmed up during the week, and the snow was almost gone from the road. It was a dark night with no moon, and the only light came from his lantern.

 

The Dutchman was nervous about passing the graveyard, remembering the rumors⁴ of a galloping⁶ ghost that he had heard at the tavern. He stumbled along, humming to himself to keep up his courage. Suddenly, his eye was caught by a light rising from the ground in the cemetery. He stopped, his heart pounding in fear. Before his startled eyes, a white mist burst forth⁷ from an unmarked grave and formed into a large horse carrying a headless rider.

 

The Dutchman let out a terrible scream as the horse leapt toward him at a full gallop⁵. He took to his heels, running as fast as he could, making for the bridge since he knew that ghosts and evil spirits did not care to cross running water. He stumbled suddenly and fell, rolling off the road into a melting patch of snow. The headless rider thundered past him, and the man got a second look at the headless ghost. It was wearing a Hessian commander's uniform.

 

The Dutchman waited a good hour after the ghost disappeared before crawling out of the bushes and making his way home. After fortifying⁸ himself with schnapps, the Dutchman told his wife about the ghost. By noon of the next day, the story was all over Tarrytown. The good Dutch folk were divided in their opinions. Some thought that the ghost must be roaming the roads at night in search of its head. Others claimed that the Hessian soldier rose from the grave to lead the Hessian soldiers in a charge up nearby Chatterton Hill, not knowing that the hill had already been taken by the British.

 

Whatever the reason, the Headless Horseman continues to roam the roads near Tarrytown on dark nights from that day to this.

 

某年伊始的一个寒冷冬夜，一个荷兰人离开塔利镇的小酒馆，徒步向自己在附近山谷中的家走去。他回家时要经过一座古老的睡谷公墓，公墓里埋着一个无头黑森士兵。午夜时分，这个荷兰人进入了公墓地界。连续一周来，天气不断回暖，此时路上已基本没有积雪。天很黑，没有月亮，他提的灯笼便是仅有的亮光。

 

荷兰人想起他在小酒馆听到的跳动的鬼影的故事，再想到自己要穿过墓地，有些犯憷。他跌跌撞撞地走着，小声哼哼着给自己打气。突然，他看到从坟地上冒出了光。他害怕的站住，心剧烈的跳动着。他惊恐地看到一阵白雾从一座没有墓碑的坟里喷出来，变成一个无头骑士骑在一匹马上的形状。

 

那马飞快得向荷兰人奔过来，他惊恐地尖叫了一声，拔腿就跑，他全速向河边跑去，因为他知道鬼魂和邪恶的幽灵都不敢穿过流水。他突然一个趔趄，跌到在地，滚到了一堆还没化尽的积雪上。无头骑士从他身边呼啸而过，他又看了一眼那个无头骑士，发现他穿着黑森指挥官的制服。

 

无头骑士消失后，荷兰人足足等了一个小时才敢从灌木丛里爬出来回家。回到家，荷兰人喝了点杜松子酒壮壮胆后，告诉了妻子他遇到鬼的故事。到第二天中午，故事便传遍了整个塔利镇。好心的荷兰人意见产生了分歧。有些人认为鬼魂一定是在夜里四处游荡找他的头。另一些人则认为这个黑森士兵还不知道附近的查特顿山已被英国人占领，他从坟墓里出来便是要领导其他黑森士兵向那儿冲锋。

 

不管是什么原因吧，从那天起，这个无头骑士便总在漆黑的夜晚在塔利镇附近的路上游荡。

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