The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

WILLIAM TELL

THE VILLAGE OF INTERLOCKEN WAS UNDER THE DOMINATION OF THE LORD
GESSLER. GESSLER WAS A VERY STERN AND CRUEL RULER. ONCE HE TOOK
OFF HIS HAT AND PLACED IT ON A STICK AND TOLD EVERYONE TO KNEEL AND
PAY HOMAGE TO IT AS IF IT WERE HIS OWN PERSON. TELL WAS A FARMER
OF THAT AREA, AND HE REFUSED TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THE HAT. BECAUSE OF
THIS, GESSLER WAS INFURIATED AND TOLD TELL THAT UNLESS HE SHOT AN
APPLE OFF THE HEAD OF HIS SON, HE WOULD HAVE TO GO TO PRISON.
(TELL HAD THE REPUTATION OF BEING A VERY GOOD HUNTER.) TELL COULD
SEE NO WAY OUT, SO HE TOOK TWO ARROWS, BUT SLIPPED ONE INTO HIS
SHIRT. HE LOADED HIS CROSSBOW AND SHOT THE APPLE OFF HIS SON'S
HEAD. GESSLER THEN ASKED HIM WHY HE TOOK TWO ARROWS. TELL
ANSWERED, "IF I HAD MISSED THE APPLE, I SURELY WOULDN'T HAVE MISSED
YOU." FOR THIS REMARK, TELL WAS TAKEN PRISONER, BUT HIS SON WAS
RELEASED.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT TOLD ME THAT THE MOTIF OF "AN APPLE BEING SHOT OFF SOME-
ONE'S HEAD" WAS FOUND IN EARLIER GERMAN TRADITION. THESE GERMANS
WERE THE SAME TRIBE AS THOSE THAT SETTLED IN SWITZERLAND.

Where learned: NOT GIVEN