William Tell Chapter 10 — Summary and Explanation

Text: William Tell

Type: Short story (folk legend / prose narrative)

Book: Roots and Wings — Literature Reader, Class 6th

Curriculum: Class 6th English | Chapter 10

About William Tell

William Tell is one of the most famous folk heroes in world literature. He is the national hero of Switzerland, and his story has been passed down for centuries as a symbol of courage, resistance against tyranny, and a father's love.

The legend of William Tell is set in the early 14th century in the Swiss Canton of Uri, when Switzerland was under the rule of the Habsburg (Austrian) Empire. Tell was a skilled hunter and archer who became a symbol of the Swiss struggle for freedom. His act of defiance against the cruel governor Gessler became the spark that inspired the Swiss people to fight for independence.

The story has been told in many forms over the centuries. Friedrich Schiller, the great German poet, wrote a famous play titled Wilhelm Tell in 1804 based on this legend. The story appears in the Class 6 Roots and Wings Literature Reader as an adaptation of this classic tale.

The character of William Tell represents the ordinary man who refuses to bow to injustice. He is not a king or a warrior by profession — he is a hunter and a father. Yet when faced with an impossible choice, he shows extraordinary courage.

Background and Context

The story is set in Switzerland, which was under the control of the Austrian Emperor Albrecht of the Habsburg dynasty. To maintain control over the Swiss people, the Habsburgs appointed harsh governors (called bailiffs) in different regions.

In the Canton of Uri, the governor was a man named Gessler. He was known for his arrogance and cruelty. He used every opportunity to humiliate the Swiss people and remind them that they were subjects of Austria, not free citizens.

Gessler devised a particularly humiliating order: he placed his hat on top of a tall pole in the central market square of the town of Altdorf and commanded that every Swiss person passing through the square must bow to the hat. This was a direct way of forcing the people to show submission to Austrian authority, even when Gessler himself was not present. His soldiers guarded the pole and reported anyone who refused to comply.

This act of placing a hat on a pole and demanding obedience to it captures everything that was wrong about Gessler's rule — it was petty, humiliating, and designed to break the spirit of the Swiss people.

Story Walkthrough

Part 1: Gessler's Order and William Tell's Defiance

Long ago, Switzerland was under the rule of the Austrian Emperor. The governor of the region was Gessler, a very cruel and arrogant man. One day, Gessler had his cap placed on a pole in the central square of the village and ordered that every person passing by must salute the hat. His soldiers stood guard to enforce this rule. Anyone who disobeyed would be punished.

William Tell was one of those who refused to salute the hat. He was a brave hunter known throughout the region for his extraordinary skill with a bow and arrow. He would not bow to a hat — or to anyone who used power to humiliate others.

Part 2: A Morning Walk with His Son

One morning, William Tell decided to visit his father-in-law. His young son Walter asked to come along. Walter asked his mother for permission, and she agreed, telling him to be careful and not to make any trouble. Walter promised and happily set off with his father.

Walter was very excited. He kept asking his father questions throughout the walk, chatting and laughing all the way. Tell enjoyed his son's company so much that he became completely absorbed in their conversation.

Part 3: Walking into Danger

Tell usually took a different route whenever he had to go through the town — a path that avoided the market square where Gessler's hat stood on the pole. He did this so he would not have to face the choice of saluting the hat or being punished.

But on this particular morning, he was so engrossed in talking with Walter that he forgot to take the usual detour. Without realising it, he walked right into the market square — directly past the pole with Gessler's hat.

Part 4: Gessler Arrives

As Tell and Walter were in the square, the crowd suddenly grew quiet. People moved to the sides to make way — Gessler was arriving on horseback. He was richly dressed and rode with his friends and soldiers. He looked proud and powerful.

A soldier named Hans spotted Tell standing in the square. He told Gessler: "My lord, this man here will not obey your command. He has not saluted your cap."

Gessler slowed his horse and looked around in anger. He asked what was going on. Hans told him that the man's name was William Tell and that he refused to bow to the hat.

Part 5: Walter Speaks Up

Gessler turned his horse toward Tell and studied him. He had heard of Tell's reputation as an archer. Just then, young Walter, who was proud of his father, burst out eagerly: "Yes, my lord — my father can split an apple off a tree from a hundred yards away! He never misses!"

Walter meant well, but he had no idea that this boast would lead to a terrible situation. Gessler listened with a strange, cruel smile.

Part 6: The Impossible Command

Gessler told Tell he had heard a great deal about his skill with the bow. Now he wanted to see it for himself. He gave Tell a monstrous order: Tell's son Walter would stand one hundred yards away with an apple placed on his head. Tell must shoot the apple in two with a single arrow. If he missed, he would pay with his life.

Tell was horrified. He pleaded with Gessler, saying he would do anything else — any other punishment, any other task. He begged to be forgiven. But Gessler simply repeated his command with a laugh: shoot the apple, or both Tell and his son would be killed. Gessler and his friends laughed at Tell's distress.

Tell's voice trembled as he spoke. He was a brave man, but this was different — this was not his own life at risk, but his child's. Even the finest archer in the world could feel fear when the target sat on his own son's head.

Part 7: Walter's Courage

A soldier brought an apple. Gessler himself rode to where Walter was standing near a tall lime tree. He leaned from his horse and placed the apple on Walter's head. Soldiers took Walter by the hands and led him to stand against the tree, one hundred yards from where Tell would shoot.

Walter showed remarkable courage. He stood quietly and calmly against the tree, not trembling, not crying. He leaned against the trunk and waited, completely still.

Then, from across the distance, Walter's small voice called out to his father: "Shoot, Father! I am not afraid. I know you will not miss!"

Part 8: The Shot

Tell reached into his quiver and took out two arrows. He placed the first one carefully inside his coat or belt, hidden from view. He fitted the second arrow to his bow and raised it.

A pin-drop silence fell over the entire square. The crowd watched with held breath, terrified at what might happen. Tell stood still for a long moment. Then the arrow dropped from his hand — fear had gripped him for just a second. He felt the weight of what he was about to do.

Gessler's angry voice broke the silence, ordering him to shoot without delay.

Tell picked up the arrow. He took a deep breath. He steadied himself, raised his bow, and aimed.

The silence stretched out. Then — the sound of the arrow leaving the bow. The crowd gasped. Then came a roar of cheering: the arrow had split the apple cleanly in two. Walter grabbed the two pieces of the apple and ran joyfully to his father, holding them up. Tell embraced his son in disbelief and relief.

Part 9: The Second Arrow

When the crowd had quieted, Gessler asked Tell about the second arrow — the one he had hidden in his coat.

Tell stayed silent at first. Then Gessler said: "Tell me the truth and I will spare your life. But if you lie to me, I will have you killed."

Tell looked at Gessler steadily and gave his reply: "That second arrow was for you. If my first arrow had struck my son, I would have used the second arrow to shoot you."

And with that, the story of William Tell and his famous apple shot comes to an end.