Ichabod Crane, the gangly protagonist of Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," is the 18th-century equivalent of that weird substitute teacher everyone remembers. Described as lanky and awkward (poor chap), this supernatural-loving schoolmaster / part-time ghost hunter moonlights as the self-proclaimed "singing master of the neighborhood," belting out show tunes for all to hear.

Penny-pinching his way through life, Ichabod couch-surfs with his students' families, because nothing says "professional boundaries" like bunking with your pupils. His rivalry with the burly Brom Bones for the affections of the spirited Katrina Van Tassel adds an extra layer of drama to his already eventful life. In the end, Ichabod gets chased through the woods by a headless horseman and vanishing without a trace. To be honest, his students probably celebrated their newfound work-life balance.