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he film opens on a library scene and Basil Rathbone narrates the tale of "The Wind in the Willows" (from the book by Kenneth Grahame), about Mr. Toad, Squire of Toad Hall, whose love for transportation vehicles is insatiable. His friends, Rat, Mole, and MacBadger, try to help him when his mania leads to the loss of the deed to Toad Hall and a charge of car theft. Toad is thrown in jail but escapes only to learn that Winkie, the tavern-keeper, and the weasels have taken over Toad Hall. With his friends, Toad redeems his good name by recovering the deed to the estate. Toad promises to reform, until he eyes a 1908 biplane.


Back in the library, Bing Crosby continues the narration with "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" (by Washington Irving), in which Ichabod Crane, a new schoolteacher, arrives in Sleepy Hollow and captures every lady's heart except for that of Katrina Van Tassel, daughter of a wealthy farmer. Ichabod has his eye on the Van Tassel wealth, but his attempts to woo Katrina disturb her bold suitor, Brom Bones, who tries to scare Ichabod away with the tale of the Headless Horseman. As Ichabod rides home that Halloween evening, he encounters the terrifying phantom and is mysteriously missing the next morning. While the townspeople spread rumors of Ichabod's whereabouts, Katrina weds Brom.


This was the last of the several package pictures of the 1940s, during which the Disney Studio had deep economic problems. Expenses were lowered by reusing animation cycles from "The Old Mill" (1937) and by patterning Katrina closely on Grace Martin from "The Martins and the Coys." Henceforth, Walt Disney would be able to finance the production of regular, one-story, animated features, beginning the next year with "Cinderella." Its success ensured the continuation of animation at the Disney Studio.


Directed by Jack Kinney, Clyde Geronimi, and James Algar. Animators: Franklin Thomas, John Lounsbery, Oliver Johnston Jr., John Sibley, Hal King, Wolfgang Reitherman, Hugh Fraser, Harvey Toombs, Marvin Woodward, Les Clark, and Hal Ambro. Starring: the voices of Eric Blore (Toad), J. Pat O'Malley (Cyril, his horse), and Claud Allister and Collin Campbell (Rat and Mole). 68 min. Disney composer and this film's music director, Oliver Wallace, himself took the role of Winkie. Songs include "Ichabod," "Katrina," "The Headless Horseman," and "The Merrily Song."