How we cite our quotes: (Section.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Ichabod Crane had a soft and foolish heart towards the sex; and it is not to be wondered at, that so tempting a morsel soon found favor in his eyes; more especially after he had visited her in her paternal mansion. (1.21)
Allow us to translate: it was love at first sight—or actually, love at first sight of her bank account. We learn two things from this little nugget: (1) Ichabod is super greedy, and (2) Washington Irving is subtly (and not so subtly) hilarious.
Quote #2
The pedagogue's mouth watered, as he looked upon this sumptuous promise of luxurious winter fare. In his devouring mind's eye, he pictured to himself every roasting-pig running about with a pudding in his belly, and an apple in his mouth; the pigeons were snugly put to bed in a comfortable pie, and tucked in with a coverlet of crust; the geese were swimming in their own gravy; and the ducks pairing cosily in dishes, like snug married couples, with a decent competency of onion sauce. (1.22)
Have you noticed that Ichabod has a really good imagination? If only he could put it to good use. Instead, he just drools over the food that's only found in his mind's eye.
Quote #3
As the enraptured Ichabod fancied all this, and as he rolled his great green eyes over the fat meadow- lands, the rich fields of wheat, of rye, of buckwheat, and Indian corn, and the orchards burthened with ruddy fruit, which surrounded the warm tenement of Van Tassel, his heart yearned after the damsel who was to inherit these domains, and his imagination expanded with the idea, how they might be readily turned into cash, and the money invested in immense tracts of wild land, and shingle palaces in the wilderness. (1.23)
In case you were thinking that Ichabod was just greedy for food, he very quickly clears that up for you here. Unfortunately, Biggie wasn't around to tell Ichabod what everyone knows: "Mo money, mo problems."