The people of Switzerland were not always free and happy as they are to-
day. Many years ago a proud tyrant, whose name was Gessler, ruled over them,
and made their lot a bitter one indeed.
One day this tyrant set up a tall pole in the public square, and put his own
cap on the top of it; and then he gave orders that every man who came into the
town should bow down before it. But there was one man, named William Tell, who
would not do this. He stood up straight with folded arms, and laughed at the
swinging cap. He would not bow down to Gessler himself.
When Gessler heard of this, he was very angry. He was afraid that other
men would disobey, and that soon the whole country would rebel against him. So
he made up his mind to punish the bold man.
William Tell's home was among the mountains, and he was a famous hunter.
No one in all the land could shoot with bow and arrow so well as he. Gessler knew
this, and so he thought of a cruel plan to make the hunter's own skill bring him to
grief. He ordered that Tell's little boy should be made to stand up in the public
square with an apple on his head; and then he asked Tell to shoot the apple with
one of his arrows.
Tell begged the tyrant not to have him make this test of his skill. What if the
boy should move? What if the bowman's hand should tremble? What if the arrow
should not carry true?
"Will you make me kill my boy?" he said.
"Say no more", said Gessler. "You must hit the apple with your one arrow. If
you fail, my soldiers shall kill the boy before your eyes."
Then, without another word, Tell fitted the arrow to his bow. He took aim,
and let it fly. The boy stood firm and still. He was not afraid, for he had all faith in
his father's skill.
The arrow whistled through the air. It struck the apple fairly in the center,
and carried it away. The people who saw it shouted with joy.
As Tell was turning away from the place, an arrow which he had hidden
under his coat dropped to the ground.
"Fellow!" cried Gessler, "what do you mean with this second arrow?"
"Tyrant!" was Tell's proud answer, "this arrow was for your heart if I had
hurt my child."
And there is an old story, that, not long after this, Tell did shoot the tyrant
with one of his arrows; and thus he set his country free.



William Tell
Engelsk for 8. klasse
Skole-forum.dk



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Do you think this story is true?


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Gessler loves power. Try to explain what power is:


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Before William Tell Switzerland was not a country, but a lot of small counties.
So was Germany.
And now politicians try to make the whole Europe a whole country: The EU.
What do you think about that idea?


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Do we have a story in Denmark, that created the start of a whole country? Which story?


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What would you call a man like William Tell?


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Opgaver til William Tell
Dansk for 8. klasse
Skole-forum.dk