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Katrina Van Tassel, only child of Baltus Van Tassel, the richest farmer in the county. She was a blooming lass, plump as a partridge. Ripe, melting and rosy-cheeked.
―Narrator[src]

Katrina Van Tassel is the lead female protagonist of Disney's 1949 short The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, that made the second segment of the film, Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad.

Background[]

Personality[]

Katrina is treated like a princess by everyone in Sleepy Hollow. She is described as a coquette, and, while a very cheerful, graceful, demure, smart, poised, and elegant young woman, she is keenly aware of the fawning attitude of everyone around her, and uses it to her advantage, flirting with every man in the village for her amusement. She seems somewhat carefree and frivolous. According to the original author, Washington Irving, she is "blooming, plump as a partridge, ripe, melting, and rosy-cheeked." However, this treatment may have left her a little spoiled. Although she has affection for Brom Bones, she refuses to admit them right away. It is said that she was annoyed at how easily Brom scared her other suitors off, and had constantly hoped for “some champion to appear, to take and feel open with. Against the boisterous Brom.” To this end she flirts openly with Ichabod, only as a way of taunting Brom.

Physical appearance[]

Katrina is a very beautiful young woman who bears a striking resemblance to Cinderella. She is regarded as the most beautiful, most blooming, and most stunning person in Sleepy Hollow. as well as the prettiest, loveliest, finest, and fairest in all of New York City. She is also admired for her father's valuable property. She wears a beautiful dress consisting of dark pink short-gown with matching peplum, an aqua stomacher with a couple of laces crisscrossing it, white trim on her sleeves, a sweetheart neckline and pink skirt, a white petticoat and matching Dutch-style hat, black ballet shoes, a bustle beneath her dress, and carries a lime parasol. She has blue eyes, fair skin, pink lips, rosy cheeks, thin black eyebrows and matching eyelashes, and strawberry-blonde hair.

On Halloween night at a party at her house with Ichabod Crane, her hair is pigtailed with blue ribbons. She dons a dress consisting of a dark pink bodice with matching peplum, pink short sleeves, white brims on her sleeves,  a wide v-neckline and pink skirt, a petticoat in the same color, a black band tied around her neck, a bustle beneath her dress, and shoes of the same color

On her wedding day, she sports a beautiful wedding dress consisting of periwinkle short-sleeved bodice with matching brims on her sleeves and blue skirt, a white Juliet cap with a clear white veil attached to it, a bustle beneath her dress, and a bouquet of lilies.

Appearances[]

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad[]

In the film, Katrina Van Tassel is a very lovely, fair and beautiful young woman who is the daughter of old Baltus Van Tassel, the richest farmer in the county. Katrina attracts many of the young men in Sleepy Hollow who offer to do anything for her like setting up her picnic for her or carry her groceries home for her, and she enjoys attention. Soon Ichabod, a charming yet ambitious schoolteacher, bumps into her. Ichabod fell for her after witnessing her looks (and of hearing of her father’s vast riches) and offers to carry her groceries home for her.

Though Katrina prefers Ichabod's rival Brom Bones, who also has feelings for her, she decides to have fun with him first, and allows Ichabod to escort her home. Brom sees this and pushes Ichabod into the mud. He puts Katrina on his horse and carries her groceries home for her, but after Katrina encourages him by throwing him her handkerchief, Ichabod catches up to them and takes Katrina home again. When they arrive at Katrina's house Ichabod kisses Katrina's hand and leaves, but Brom's outside waiting and Ichabod runs back in and gives Katrina some flowers; seeing Brom watching them through the window, she places a flower in Ichabod's shirt pocket. Ichabod leaves again but is grabbed by Brom suddenly, though Katrina manages to distract Brom in order for Ichabod to escape happily home.

Soon Katrina's father is having a Halloween Party and she invites Ichabod, who dances with her at the party. During the dance, Brom manages to steal Katrina from Ichabod for a short period of time but Ichabod manages to get Katrina back and together they steal the whole dance together, causing everyone except for Brom Bones to clap for them. Shortly after the dance Brom Bones tells a story about him meeting the Headless Horseman, who rides in Sleepy Hollow every Halloween night looking for a new head. The story frightens Ichabod and Katrina laughs at his scared reactions. After the party as Ichabod rides home he has a mysterious encounter with the Headless Horseman and disappears from Sleepy Hollow.

After Ichabod's disappearance, Katrina ends up marrying Brom Bones and appears to be quite happy with him.

House of Mouse[]

Katrina makes a cameo appearance as one of the guests in the TV series House of Mouse.

Once Upon a Studio[]

Katrina appears, joining all other Disney characters in taking a group photo to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Disney.

Gallery[]

Wiki
The Disney Wiki has a collection of images and media related to Katrina Van Tassel.

Trivia[]

  • It is believed by fans that she knew Brom Bones loved her and that he wasn't proposing soon enough so she made Brom jealous by pretending to have some affection for Ichabod.
  • She is apparently the most beautiful girl in Sleepy Hollow. 
  • Katrina has a whole song dedicated to her sung by Bing Crosby during the film called "Katrina".
  • Katrina bears some resemblance to Cinderella.
  • Katrina is the only lead character in Disney animation with Dutch origin.
  • Since the animators wanted to save money and time, the model sheet for Grace Martin from "The Martins and the Coys" segment of Make Mine Music and for Slue-Foot Sue from the "Pecos Bill" segment of Melody Time was reused for Katrina.
  • Katrina has only one brief line of dialogue ("Yoo hoo!") spoken off-screen.
  • In the original story after the party is over Ichabod proposes marriage to Katrina but she turns him down leaving him heart broken believing she was using him to make Brom jealous. This was never shown in the film and it remains unknown if Walt had intended to show it in the film but wound up not showing it for a reason. It is most likely that in this version Ichabod didn't propose marriage to Katrina at all and left the party quickly because during his ride home he doesn't look sad or heart broken just scared and nervous because of Brom's story about the Headless Horseman.


v - e - d
The-adventures-of-ichabod-and-mr-toad-logo
Media
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (The Wind in the WillowsThe Legend of Sleepy Hollow) • Video
Disney Parks
Mr. Toad's Wild RideStorybook Land Canal Boats

Restaurants: Toad Hall RestaurantSleepy Hollow Inn
Firework: Wonderful World of Animation
Halloween: Frightfully Fun ParadeGlow in the Park Halloween ParadeMickey's Boo-to-You Halloween ParadeThe Revenge of the Headless Horseman

Characters
J. Thaddeus ToadCyril ProudbottomRattyMoleAngus MacBadgerMr. WinkieWeaselsThe ProsecutorRed DevilsIchabod CraneKatrina Van TasselBrom BonesTildaBaltus Van TasselGunpowderDaredevilThe Headless Horseman
Songs
The Merrily SongIchabod CraneKatrinaHeadless Horseman
Locations
Toad HallSleepy Hollow
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