Headless Horseman

The Headless Horseman has been a motif of European folklore since at least the Middle Ages. The Headless Horseman is traditionally depicted as a man upon horseback who is missing his head. Depending on the legend, the Horseman is either carrying his head, or is missing his head altogether, and is searching for it. Perhaps the most famous myth arises from the short story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," written in 1820 by Washington Irving.