An exceptional Archer, a legend

Many years ago, the people of the countries named Schwytz, Ur, and Unterwalken lived happily.
However their big, powerful neighbour, Austria, invaded their land. The Austrian governors ruled with
harshness and cruelty. They forced the citizens to play heavy taxes and obey unfair laws.

Gessler was the most hated of the governors as he was the cruelest of them. One day, Gessler
asked the bailiff to have his stuck on a pole in the marketplace. He commanded his soldiers to make
everyone who passed by, bow down before the hat. According to him, the hat represented imperial
authority.

A brave hunter from the mountains went to the marketplace with his son one morning. His
name was Wilhelm Tell, and he was famous for his exceptional skill with a crossbow. When Tell and his
son, Walter, passed by the hat stuck on the pole, they did not bow, for they did not know about
Gessler’s order. The guards stopped them and ordered them to bow to the hat, but Whilhelm refused.
So, the soldiers arrested him and brought the father and son to Gessler. The governors knew of
Whilhelm’s talent as an archer. He told Whilhelm that he would set him free if he could shoot an apple
off his son’s head. If he missed, Whilhelm would die.

Whilhelm took aim while his son stood straight and still. He pierced the apple right through the
center. Gessler was not surprised but could not accept his defeat. He saw another arrow hidden inside
Whilhelm’s shirt and forced him to explain why it was there. Whilhelm body replied that if he had killed
his son, he would have used the other arrow against Gessler.

Gessler called him a villain and ordered his soldiers to arrest him. They bound Whilhelm in ropes
and put him aboard a small boat. As the boat was crossing the lake toward Gessler’s castle on the other
side , a violent storm blew up threatening to capsize the boat. The soldiers could not handle the boat.
Realizing that only Whilhelm could steer the boat to shore, they untied him. Whilhelm rowed hard and
strong until they were close to shore. Then he dropped the hoars, pushed the boat and his captors back
into the stormy waters. He jumped onto the blank and fled quickly.

Whilhelm made his way overland and ambushed Gessler and his party. He shot Gessler through
the heart with his last arrow. The people rejoiced and considered Wilhelm Tell a hero. He vanished and
nothing was heard of him.