"Rip Van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Washington Irving were first published in 1819. Since then, they have been adapted and interpreted in countless ways ranging from the comical to the serious and for the very young to the adult. The versions presented here are as close to the originals as possible but with the now dated language of two hundred years simplified so that modern readers will better understand and appreciate these classic stories.End notes, discussion of major themes, and a short biography follow the texts.