The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

[oo7]

Ahoy there, folks!

I have decided today to share with you my entry to the Eurobricks Pirate Halloween contest held last October. After the voting ended, I never got to posting a separate topic on this as I intended to until now. I also figured I'd post here in the History forum in order to obtain a new and different audience to present to. Anyway, my entry included several scenes that accompanied excepts from Washington Irving's classic American short story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.....

"Over a deep black part of the stream, not far from the church, was formerly thrown a wooden bridge; the road that led to it and the bridge itself were thickly shaded by overhanging trees, which cast a gloom about it even in the daytime, but occasioned a fearful darkness at night. Such was one of the favorite haunts of the headless horseman, and the place where he was most frequently encountered. The tale was told of old Brouwer, a most heretical disbeliever in ghosts, how he met the horseman returning from his foray into Sleepy Hollow, and was obliged to get up behind him; how they galloped over bush and brake, over hill and swamp, until they reached the bridge, when the horseman suddenly turned into a skeleton, threw old Brouwer into the brook, and sprang away over the tree-tops with a clap of thunder."

"This story was immediately matched by a thrice-marvellous adventure of Brom Bones, who made light of the galloping Hessian as an arrant jockey. He affirmed that on returning one night from the neighboring village of Sing-Sing he had been over taken by this midnight trooper; that he had offered to race with him for a bowl of punch, and should have won it too, for Daredevil beat the goblin horse all hollow, but just as they came to the church bridge the Hessian bolted and vanished in a flash of fire."

"About two hundred yards from the tree, a small brook crossed the road and ran into a marshy and thickly-wooded glen known by the name of Wiley's Swamp. A few rough logs, laid side by side, served for a bridge over this stream. On that side of the road where the brook entered the wood a group of oaks and chestnuts, matted thick with wild grape-vines, threw a cavernous gloom over it. To pass this bridge was the severest trial. It was at this identical spot that the unfortunate Andre was captured, and under the covert of those chestnuts and vines were the sturdy yeomen concealed who surprised him. This has ever since been considered a haunted stream, and fearful are the feelings of the schoolboy who has to pass it alone after dark."

"An opening in the trees now cheered him with the hopes that the church bridge was at hand. The wavering reflection of a silver star in the bosom of the brook told him that he was not mistaken. He saw the walls of the church dimly glaring under the trees beyond. He recollected the place where Brom Bones' ghostly competitor had disappeared. "If I can but reach that bridge," thought Ichabod, "I am safe." Just then he heard the, black steed panting and blowing close behind him; he even fancied that he felt his hot breath. Another convulsive kick in the ribs, and old Gunpowder sprang upon the bridge; he thundered over the resounding planks; he gained the opposite side; and now Ichabod cast a look behind to see if his pursuer should vanish, according to rule, in a flash of fire and brimstone.Just then he saw the goblin rising in his stirrups, and in the very act of hurling his head at him. Ichabod endeavored to dodge the horrible missile, but too late. It encountered his cranium with a tremendous crash; he was tumbled headlong into the dust, and Gunpowder, the black steed, and the goblin rider passed by like a whirlwind."

"The next morning the old horse was found, without his saddle and with he bridle under his feet, soberly cropping the grass at his master's gate. Ichabod did not make his appearance at breakfast; dinner-hour came, but no Ichabod. The boys assembled at the school-house and strolled idly about the banks of the brook but no schoolmaster. Hans Van Ripper now began to feel some uneasiness about the fate of poor Ichabod and his saddle. An inquiry was set on foot, and after diligent investigation they came upon his traces. In one part of the road leading to the church was found the saddle trampled in the dirt; the tracks of horses' hoofs, deeply dented in the road and evidently at furious speed, were traced to the bridge, beyond which, on the bank of a broad part of the brook, where the water ran deep and black, was found the hat of the unfortunate Ichabod, and close beside it a spattered pumpkin."

[WesternOutlaw]

I really like this 007. I'm very fond of covered bridges and the Washingtom Irvine story is what inspired my Dead Man's Bridge.

I have always been impressed with your building style. Your building is far from standard square-locked designs (unlike mine), and capture a great amount of detail. The entire scene looks good, and the way you designed the trees is very non-traditional and clever.

I love the use of the Ninja fortress as the foundation for the bridge and the black river is dreadfully haunting *wub* . I really like it (reminds me of Putrid Water).

Overall, this is among my favorite of your MOCs (or right up there with your Mexican village).

Excellent job and the figs and story a nice addition. *y*

[oo7]

I really like this 007. I'm very fond of covered bridges and the Washingtom Irvine story is what inspired my Dead Man's Bridge.

[snip]

I have always been impressed with your building style. Your building is far from standard square-locked designs (unlike mine), and capture a great amount of detail. The entire scene looks good, and the way you designed the trees is very non-traditional and clever.

I love the use of the Ninja fortress as the foundation for the bridge and the black river is dreadfully haunting *wub* . I really like it (reminds me of Putrid Water).

Overall, this is among my favorite of your MOCs (or right up there with your Mexican village).

Excellent job and the figs and story a nice addition. *y*

Many thanks to you, Mr. Brickster! I recall you mentioning your liking for this one in you Casablanca thread, I found it a very touching complement for you to make. I'm also very glad you took notice of the black water running in the brook, I hoped that would make the whole scene look more like it was set in the dark of night. ;-)

And if I may digress, I would like to note how I reflect back upon this and lament about how much I could improve it now that I have some dark grey and brown foliage from the Indiana Jones Temple Escape. Previously I only owned green plant elements and decided to resort to using the bottoms of broom pieces sticking out from the ground to represent autumn brush. Although it really didn't really matter in retrospect, I had to get the entry in by the contest deadline that October....

Anyway, I am also quite impressed to learn that your covered bridge or the Grave Stone line was also inspired by the story. I don't think I've too familiar with this particular one, but I can tell you now that applying the story to a Old West setting, horseman and all, is quite imaginative. It's especially nice you have set it over a dusty dried up riverbed as well! *y*

[Cardinal Brick]

I must say your photography is very good the pictures have a wonderful dark and eerie feel to them. You

[Asuka]

A brilliant work with an erudite design and a very smart color scheme.

Together with your excellent photography this creates an outstanding

atmosphere of abandonment and tension. *wub*

At the day I

[oo7]

I must say your photography is very good the pictures have a wonderful dark and eerie feel to them. You

[Tacitus]

I remember seeing this last year. Awesome!

Tacitus.

[Jipay]

Amazing MOC ! I especially like the way you managed to render the atmosphear with the dead tree >:-)

[Batbrick]

Amazing MOC ! I especially like the way you managed to render the atmosphear with the dead tree >:-)

I agree, the dead tree gives it a lot more feeling of supernatural, I love the freaky look of it, great construction and excellent use of a baseplate!

To the Bricksignal!