Which words in this excerpt from washington irving's "the legend of sleepy hollow" indicate that it is a work of gothic literature? it [the tree] was connected with the tragical story of the unfortunate andré, who had been taken prisoner hard by; and was universally known by the name of major andré's tree. the common people regarded it with a mixture of respect and superstition, partly out of sympathy for the fate of its ill-starred namesake, and partly from the tales of strange sights and doleful lamentations told concerning it. as ichabod approached this fearful tree, he began to whistle; he thought his whistle was answered–it was but a blast sweeping sharply through the dry branches.