The Headless Horseman

The Headless Horseman is well known across Europe and America and goes back as far as the Middle Ages. 

In Ireland The Headless Horseman also known as Dullahan is a headless spirit, riding a black horse with either under his arm or holding it up in front. He also carries a whip made of a human corpse's spines. When the Dullahan stops riding death follows. Once the Dullahan calls out the name the person drops dead. 

In Scotland The Headless Horseman is called Ewen who was decapitated in a clan battle at Glen Cainnier on the isle of Mull. Since the battle finished Ewen has riding his horse across the battle field since. 

In England The Headless Horseman is linked to a middle English poem called Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The Green Knight rides into King Arthur's court and dares and Knight to behead him with is own axe. After he is beheaded he picks his head up and rides back out of the court.

In Germany there are two folklore about The Headless Horseman. The first one is set near Dresden. A women goes out early to collect acrons in a forest on a Sunday morning. At at place called Lost Waters she hears a hunting horn. She turns around and sees a headless man in a long grey coat sitting on a grey horse.

The second folklore from Germany in a town called Branunschweig he blows a horn to warn hunters not to ride the next day. If they do they will meet with an accident. 

Lastly in Amercia The Headless Horseman comes from writer Irving's short story. The Headless Horseman was a Hessian soldier in the American Revolutionary War, who was killed when a cannon ball knocked his head off.

In modern cultures The Headless Horseman was the main character in the 1999 movie staring Johnny Deep called Sleeply Hollow.