William Tell is an inspirational folk tale about a man in Switzerland who fought against the Holy Roman Empire, winning freedom for his country. If you know about Robin Hood, this is a bit like the German-Swiss version of that, though slightly different versions have been found in Scandinavia as well. It starts in 1307, after the H.R.E. had already taken over Switzerland. There was a town in which the governor, a man called Gessler, decided to test his subjects loyalty to him. He took off his hat and hung it on a pole, and anyone who passed the pole had to bow to the hat, simply to prove that not only were they loyal to Gessler, but also willing to bow to the concept of the ultimate ruler. William Tell and his son were in the town, probably selling furs and other hunting goods since he was a skilled hunter and marksmen with a crossbow. When he came to the hat he refused to bow to to it, and the guards, unsure of what to do, called Gessler. When he got there William refused to bow to him as well as the hat. Gessler ordered them arrested, but hearing that he was famous in the town for being a perfect marksman, he ordered a cruel punishment. William was to shoot an apple of the head of his son. If he hit the apple he would go free with his son, if he missed totally they would imprison both of them, if he killed his son they would imprison him, if he injured his son he would be imprisoned but his son would go free, and if he refused to shoot they would kill them both. Seeing no better option, he prepared to shoot. Miraculously, he made it perfectly, shooting the apple straight through the middle. Some versions of the story say that the post behind the son was the post with Gesslers hat, and that the shot knocked it off the post. Unfortunately for Tell Gessler noticed a second arrow in Will’s quiver, and asked what it was for. William told him that, should he have failed the shot, the second shot would not have missed Gessler. Furious, the governor arrested Tell again, and sent him in a boat to a prison under Gesslers manor on the other side of Lake Lucerne, where Gessler would go by land. However, the ship was struck by terrible storm, and the sailors expected the ship to crash or flounder, until Will claimed to have hunted in this area and could get the ship too safety. They freed him from his shackles and gave him control of the ship, and he managed to get them through the storm, and was able to escape into the woods. On the road he met Gessler, who was going to his manor. He then shot Gessler, killing him with the same arrow that he had meant to use at the archery contest. His story then becomes blurrier, but he was supposed to have led the Swiss revolution until his death in 1354. The Swiss rebellion did end up getting their freedom and independence in 1399, 45 years later. This legend is quite famous for it’s apple-shot, but it is unknown if it actually originated here, since it has been found in Denmark and other Scandinavian locations. Regardless, William Tell stands with Robin Hood and William Walace in legends of Freedom.
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