Young Folks' Treasury, Volume 2 — William Tell

GESSLER'S TYRANNY

Far away in the heart of Europe there lies a little country called Switzerland.

It seems wonderful that when great and powerful kings and princes swept over the world, fighting and conquering, little Switzerland should not have been conquered and swallowed up by one or other of the great countries which lay around.

But the Swiss have always been a brave and fearless people.

At one time one of the great princes of Europe tried to conquer Switzerland and take away the freedom of its people.

But the people fought so bravely that instead of being conquered they conquered the tyrants and drove them away.

In those far-off times the greatest ruler in Europe was the Emperor, and his empire was divided into many states, over each of which ruled a prince or king who acknowledged the Emperor as overlord.

When an Emperor died the kings and princes met together and chose another Emperor from among their number.

Switzerland was one of the countries which owned the Emperor as overlord.

But the Swiss were a free people.

They had no king or prince over them, but a governor only, who was appointed by the Emperor.

Austria was another of the states of the great empire, and at one time a Duke of Austria was made ruler of Switzerland.

Because of its great beauty, this duke cast greedy eyes upon Switzerland and longed to possess it for his very own.

But the Swiss would not give up their freedom; and three cantons, as the divisions of Switzerland are called, joined together, and swore to stand by each other, and never to submit to Austria.

Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden were the names of these three cantons.

A

little later another canton joined the three.

These four cantons lie round a lake which is called the Lake of the four Forest Cantons.

When Albrecht, Duke of Austria was chosen Emperor he said to himself that now truly he would be lord and master of Switzerland.

So he sent two nobles to the Swiss to talk to them, and persuade them to own him as their king.

Some of the people of Switzerland were persuaded to belong to Austria, but all the people of the free cantons replied that they wished to remain free.

So the messengers went back to Albrecht and told him what the people said.

When he heard the message he was very angry.

"The proud peasants," he cried, "they will not yield.

Then I will bend and break them.

They will be soft and yielding enough when I have done with them."

Months went by and the Emperor appointed no ruler over Switzerland.

At last the people, feeling that they must have a governor, sent messengers to the Emperor, begging him to appoint a ruler, as all the Emperors before him had done.

"A governor you shall have."

said Albrecht.

"Go home and await his coming.

Whom I send to you, him you must obey in all things."

When they had gone, Albrecht smiled grimly to himself.

"They will not yield," he said, "but I will oppress them and ill-treat them until I force them to rebel.

Then I will fight against them and conquer them, and at last Switzerland will be mine."

A few days later Albrecht made his friends Hermann Gessler and Beringer of Landenberg governors over the free cantons, telling them to take soldiers with them to enforce the law and to tax the people in order to pay the soldiers.

"You will punish all wrong-doers severely," he said, "I will endure no rebels within my empire."

Hard and bitter days began when Gessler and Landenberg settled there.

They delighted in oppressing the people.

They loaded them with taxes;

nothing could be either bought or sold but the governors claimed a great part of the money; the slightest fault was punished with long imprisonment and heavy fines.

The people became sad and downcast, but still they would not yield to Austria.

Gessler lived in a great castle at Küssnacht in Schwyz.

In it were dreadful dungeons where he imprisoned the people and tortured them according to his wicked will.

But he was not pleased to have only one castle, and he made up his mind to build another in Uri.

So he began to build one near the little town of Altorf, which lay at the other end of the Lake of the Forest Cantons.

Gessler forced the men of Uri to build this castle, and he meant to use it not only as a house for himself, but as a prison for the people.

"What will you call your castle?"

asked a friend one day, as they stood to watch the building.

"I will call it the Curb of Uri," said Gessler, with a cruel laugh, "for with it I will curb the proud spirit of these peasants."

After watching the work for some time, Gessler and his friend rode away.

"My friend," said Gessler, as he rode, "we will go back to Kiissnacht by another way.

I have heard that an insolent peasant called Werner Stauffacher has built himself a new house.

I

wish to see it.

There is no end to the impudence of these peasants."

"But what will you do?"

asked his friend.

"Do" said Gessler, "why, turn him out, to be sure.

What need have these peasants for great houses?"

So they rode on to Stauffacher's house.

"Whose house is this?"

he demanded.

Stauffacher answered quietly, "My lord, this house belongs to the Emperor, and is yours and mine in fief to hold and use for his service."

"I rule this land," said Gessler, "in the name of the Emperor, and I will not allow peasants to build houses without asking leave.

I will have you understand that."

And he rode from the doorway.

Stauffacher told his wife what had happened and she advised him to call a secret meeting of his friends to plan to free themselves from the governor's rule.

Werner Stauffacher spent some days in going from village to village, trying to find out how the peasants and common people felt, and everywhere heard complaints and groans.

Coming to Altorf, where his friend Walter Fürst lived, he heard in the market-place a great noise of shouting and trampling of feet.

Down the street a party of Austrian soldiers came marching.

One of them carried a long pole, and another a red cap with a peacock's feather in it.

Then the pole with the red cap on the top of it was firmly planted in the ground.

As soon as the pole was set up a herald stepped out, blew his trumpet and cried, "Se ye this cap here set up?

It is his Majesty's will and commandment that ye do all bow the knee and bend the head as ye do pass it by."

This was a new insult to a free people.

Stauffacher went to the house of Walter Fürst, where he met Arnold of Melchthal, who had suffered much from Landenberg.

Calling upon God and his saints, these three men swore a solemn oath to protect each other and promised to meet in a little meadow called the Rütli, the Wednesday before Martinmas.

Three weeks passed, and in the darkness and quiet the men stole to the place of meeting with other friends of freedom whom they had brought.

Near Walter Fürst stood a young man straight and tall with clear and honest eyes.

"William Tell," said Arnold, "and the best shot in all Switzerland.

I have seen him shoot an apple from a tree a hundred paces off."

Then they swore never to betray each other, to be true to the Emperor, but to drive the Austrian governor, his friends, his servants, and his soldiers out of the land.

II WILLIAM TELL AND HIS GREAT SHOT

William Tell did not live in Altorf, but in another village some way off, called Bürglen.

His wife, who was called Hedwig, was Walter Fürst's daughter.

Tell and Hedwig had two sons, William and Walter.

Walter, the younger, was about six years old.

William Tell loved his wife and his children very much, and they all lived happily together in a pretty little cottage at Bürglen.

"Hedwig," said Tell one morning, some days after the meeting mentioned above, "I am going into Altorf to see your father."

Hedwig looked troubled.

"Do be careful, William," she said.

"Must you really go?

You know the governor is there just now, and he hates you."

"Oh, I am quite safe," said Tell; "I have done nothing for which he could punish me.

But I will keep out of his way," and he lifted his crossbow and prepared to go.

"Do not take your bow," said Hedwig, still feeling uneasy.

"Leave it here."

"Why, Hedwig, how you trouble yourself for nothing," said Tell, smiling at her.

"Why should I leave my bow behind?

I feel lost without it."

"O father, where are you going?"

said Walter, running into the room at this minute.

"I am going to Altorf to see grandfather.

Would you like to come?"

"Oh, may I?

May I, mother?"

"Yes, dear, if you like," said Hedwig.

"And you will be careful, won't you?"

she added, turning to Tell.

"Yes, I will," he replied, and Walter, throwing his arms round her neck, said, "It's all right, mother, I will take care of father."

Then they set off merrily together.

It was a great thing to go to Altorf with father, and Walter was so happy that he chattered all the way, asking questions about everything.

"How far can you shoot, father?"

"Oh, a good long way."

"As high as the sun?"

asked Walter, looking up at it.

"Oh dear, no, not nearly so high as that."

"Well, how high?

As high as the snow-mountains?"

"Oh no." "Why is there always snow on the mountains, father?"

asked Walter, thinking of something else.

And so he went on, asking questions about one thing after another, until his father was quite tired of answering.

Walter was chattering so much that Tell forgot all about the hat upon the pole, and, instead of going round by another way to avoid it, as he had meant to do, he went straight through the market-place to reach Walter Fürst's house.

"Father, look," said Walter, "look, how funny!

there is a hat stuck up on a pole.

What is it for?"

"Don't look, Walter," said Tell, "the hat has nothing to do with us, don't look at it."

And taking Walter by the hand, he led him hurriedly away.

But it was too late.

The soldier, who stood beside the pole to guard it and see that people bowed in passing, pointed his spear at Tell and bade him stop.

"Stand, in the Emperor's name," he cried.

"Let be, friend," said Tell, "let me past."

"Not till you obey the Emperor's command.

Not till you bow to the hat."

"It is no command of the Emperor," said Tell.

"It is Gessler's folly and tyranny.

Let me go."

"Nay, but you must not speak of my lord the governor in such terms.

And past you shall not go until you bow to the cap.

And, if you bow not, to prison I will lead you.

Such is my lord's command."

"Why should I bow to a cap?"

said Tell, his voice shaking with rage.

"Were the Emperor himself here, then would I bend the knee and bow my head to him with all reverence.

But to a hat!

Never!"

and he tried to force his way past Heinz the soldier.

But Heinz would not let him pass, and kept his spear pointed at Tell.

Hearing loud and angry voices, many people gathered to see what the cause might be.

Soon there was quite a crowd around the two.

Every one talked at once, and the noise and confusion were great.

Heinz tried to take Tell prisoner, and the people tried to take him away.

"Help!

help!"

shouted Heinz, hoping that some of his fellow-soldiers would hear him and come to his aid,--"Help, help!

treason, treason!"

Then over all the noise of the shouting there sounded the tramp of horses' hoofs and the clang and jangle of swords and armor.

"Room for the governor.

Room, I say," cried a herald.

The shouting ceased and the crowd silently parted, as Gessler, richly dressed, haughty and gloomy, rode through it, followed by a gay company of his friends and soldiers.

He checked his horse and, gazing angrily round the crowd, "What is this rioting?"

he asked.

"My lord," said Heinz, stepping forward, "this scoundrel here will not bow to the cap, according to your lordship's command."

"Eh, what?"

said Gessler, his dark face growing more dark and angry still.

"Who dares to disobey my orders?"

"'Tis William Tell of Bürglen, my lord."

"Tell?"

said Gessler, turning in his saddle and looking at Tell as he stood among the people, holding little Walter by the hand.

There was silence for a few minutes while Gessler gazed at Tell in anger.

"I hear you are a great shot, Tell," said Gessler at last, laughing scornfully, "they say you never miss." "That is quite true," said little Walter eagerly, for he was very proud of his father's shooting.

"He can hit an apple on a tree a hundred yards off."

"Is that your boy?"

said Gessler, looking at him with an ugly smile.

"Yes, my lord."

"Have you other children?"

"Another boy, my lord."

"You are very fond of your children, Tell?"

"Yes, my lord."

"Which of them do you love best?"

Tell hesitated.

He looked down at little Walter with his rosy cheeks and curly hair.

Then he thought of William at home with his pretty loving ways.

"I love them both alike, my lord," he said at last.

"Ah," said Gessler, and thought a minute.

"Well, Tell," he said after a pause.

"I have heard so much of this boast of yours about hitting apples, that I should like to see something of it.

You shall shoot an apple off your boy's head at a hundred yards' distance.

That will be easier than shooting off a tree."

"My lord," said Tell, turning pale, "you do not mean that?

It is horrible.

I will do anything rather than that."

"You will shoot an apple off your boy's head," repeated Gessler in a slow and scornful voice.

"I want to see your wonderful skill, and I command you to do it at once.

You have your crossbow there.

Do it."

"I will die first," said Tell.

"Very well," said Gessler, "but you need not think in that way to save your boy.

He shall die with you.

Shoot, or die both of you.

And, mark you, Tell, see that you aim well, for if you miss you will pay for it with your life."

Tell turned pale.

His voice trembled as he replied, "My lord, it was but thoughtlessness.

Forgive me this once, and I will always bow to the cap in future."

Proud and brave although he was, Tell could not bear the thought that he might kill his own child.

"Have done with this delay," said Gessler, growing yet more angry.

"You break the laws, and when, instead of punishing you as you deserve, I give you a chance of escape, you grumble and think yourself hardly used.

Were peasants ever more unruly and discontented?

Have done, I say.

Heinz, bring me an apple."

The soldier hurried away.

"Bind the boy to that tree," said Gessler, pointing to a tall lime-tree near by.

Two soldiers seized Walter and bound him fast to the tree.

He was not in the least afraid, but stood up against the trunk straight and quiet.

Then, when the apple was brought, Gessler rode up to him and, bending from the saddle, himself placed the apple upon his head.

All this time the people crowded round silent and wondering, and Tell stood among them as if in a dream, watching everything with a look of horror in his eyes.

"Clear a path there," shouted Gessler, and the soldiers charged among the people, scattering them right and left.

When a path had been cleared, two soldiers, starting from the tree to which Walter was bound, marched over the ground, measuring one hundred paces, and halted.

"One hundred paces, my lord," they said, turning to Gessler.

Gessler rode to the spot, calling out, "Come, Tell, from here you shall shoot."

Tell took his place.

He drew an arrow from his quiver, examined it carefully, and then, instead of fitting it to his bow, he stuck it in his belt.

Then, still carefully, he chose another arrow and fitted it to his bow.

A deep silence fell upon every one as Tell took one step forward.

He raised his bow.

A mist was before his eyes, his arm trembled, his bow dropped from his hand.

He could not shoot.

The fear that he might kill his boy took away all his skill and courage.

A groan broke from the people as they watched.

Then from far away under the lime-tree came Walter's voice, "Shoot, father, I am not afraid.

You cannot miss." Once more Tell raised his bow.

The silence seemed deeper than ever.

The people of Altorf knew and loved Tell, and Fürst, and little Walter.

And so they watched and waited with heavy hearts and anxious faces.

"Ping!"

went the bowstring.

The arrow seemed to sing through the frosty air, and, a second later, the silence was broken by cheer after cheer.

The apple lay upon the ground pierced right through the center.

One man sprang forward and cut the rope with which Walter was bound to the tree; another picked up the apple and ran with it to Gessler.

But Tell stood still, his bow clutched in his hand, his body bent forward, his eyes wild and staring, as if he were trying to follow the flight of the arrow.

Yet he saw nothing, heard nothing.

"He has really done it!"

exclaimed Gessler in astonishment, as he turned the apple round and round in his hand.

"Who would have thought it?

Right in the center, too."

Little Walter, quite delighted, came running to his father.

"Father," he cried, "I knew you could do it.

I knew you could, and I was not a bit afraid.

Was it not splendid?"

and he laughed and pressed his curly head against his father.

Then suddenly Tell seemed to wake out of his dream, and taking Walter in his arms he held him close, kissing him again and again.

"You are safe, my boy.

You are safe," was all he said.

But strong man though he was his eyes were full of tears, and he was saying to himself, "I might have killed him.

I might have killed my own boy."

Meanwhile Gessler sat upon his horse watching them with a cruel smile upon his wicked face.

"Tell," he said at last, "that was a fine shot, but for what was the other arrow?"

Tell put Walter down and, holding his hand, turned to Gessler, "It is always an archer's custom, my lord, to have a second arrow ready," he said.

"Nay, nay," said Gessler, "that answer will not do, Tell.

Speak the truth."

Tell was silent.

"Speak, man," said Gessler, "and if you speak the truth, whatever it may be, I promise you your life."

"Then," said Tell, throwing his shoulders back and looking straight at Gessler, "since you promise me my life, hear the truth, if that first arrow had struck my child, the second one was meant for you, and be sure I had not missed my mark a second time."

Gessler's face grew dark with rage.

For a moment or two he could not speak.

When at last he did speak, his voice was low and terrible, "You dare," he said, "you dare to tell me this!

I promised you your life indeed.

Your life you shall have, but you shall pass it in a dark and lonely prison, where neither sun nor moon shall send the least glimmer of light.

There you shall lie, so that I may be safe from you.

Ah, my fine archer, your bows and arrows will be of little use to you henceforth.

Seize him, men, and bind him, lest he do murder even now."

In a moment the soldiers sprang forward, and Tell was seized and bound.

As Gessler sat watching them, he looked round at all the angry faces of the crowd.

"Tell has too many friends here," he said to himself.

"If I imprison him in the Curb of Uri, they may find some way to help him to escape.

I will take him with me in my boat to Klissnacht.

There he can have no friends.

There he will be quite safe."

Then aloud he said, "Follow me, my men.

Bring him to the boat."

As he said these words, there was a loud murmur from the crowd.

"That is against the law," cried many voices.

"Law, law?"

growled Gessler.

"Who makes the law, you or I?"

Walter Fürst had been standing among the crowd silent and anxious.

Now he stepped forward and spoke boldly.

"My lord," he said, "it has ever been a law among the Swiss that no one shall be imprisoned out of his own canton.

If my son-in-law, William Tell, has done wrong, let him be tried and imprisoned here, in Uri, in Altorf.

If you do otherwise you wrong our ancient freedom and rights."

"Your freedom!

your rights!"

said Gessler roughly.

"I tell you, you are here to obey the laws, not to teach me how I shall rule."

Then turning his horse and calling out, "On, men, to the boat with him," he rode towards the lake, where, at a little place called Fliielen, his boat was waiting for him.

But Walter clung to his father, crying bitterly.

Tell could not take him in his arms to comfort him, for his hands were tied.

But he bent over him to kiss him, saying, "Little Walter, little Walter, be brave.

Go with thy grandfather and comfort thy mother."