HEADLESS HORSEMAN

ORIGIN: Sleepy Hollow, New York, United States.

The legend of The Headless Horseman is one of the most enduring tales in all folklore. 

This legend was popularized by Washington Irving's 1820 short story, THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW, but its origins trace back to European folklore, particularly from Germany, Ireland, and the Netherlands.

The tale tells of a horseman who rides through the night, dressed in dark garments, but with one very horrifying detail: 

He has no head. 

Instead, he carries his severed head, or sometimes a flaming pumpkin, in his hand. 

The Headless Horseman is said to be the spirit of a Hessian soldier who was decapitated by a cannonball during the American Revolutionary War. 

His restless ghost now haunts the woods of Sleepy Hollow, searching for his lost head.

Travelers and villagers in the area speak of hearing thunderous hoofbeats at night, followed by a complete silence. 

Those unfortunate enough to encounter him face death or are chased to the point of exhaustion.