The History of William Tell (From the William Tell museum in the Swiss town of his birth.)
 

In the thirteenth century, the people of the Forest Cantons (the first Swiss communities to win their freedom against the Hapsburgs) stood under the protection and supervision of the Emperor, who had acquired the habit of sending his bailiff from time to time to pass sentence on the people and collect the imperial taxes. Towards the end of the century, the Dukes of Habsburg-Austria tried to extend their dominion to the Forest Cantons. When Albert of Austria became Emperor, he sent his own Austrian officers to the Forest Cantons instead of the imperial bailiffs. This provoked the resistance and the wrath of the countrymen.
 

It is in this context that the history of William Tell must be seen.
 

One day, Gessler, the Austrian bailiff, planned to find out what the people thought of his rule. He had an Austrian hat suspended from a pole in the village of Altdorf and issued an order that every man who passed by should bare his head out of respect to the hat. William Tell, and his son Walter, from the village of Bürglen, happened to pass that way without paying due reverence to the hat. Tell was seized and taken to the bailiff who asked why the order had been disobeyed. Tell advanced some foolish excuses. But Gessler did not accept them and said,  “Tell, you are a famous crossbowman. Your punishment shall be to shoot an apple from your little son's head.” Poor William Tell offered his own life so as not to risk that of his child. In vain did he implore Gessler to commute this terrible punishment. The bailiff even decided that if he refused or missed at the first attempt, both he and his son would have to die. Tell had no alternative. He took aim and the arrow struck the apple right through the centre. The assembled crowd sympathized with William Tell and applauded his shot wildly. Gessler, however, had noticed that Tell had put a second arrow into his quiver, and demanded to be told what it was for. Tell replied evasively that it was a custom among crossbowmen, but Gessler was not satisfied.
 

He promised to spare Tell's life if he told him the truth. Thereupon, Tell informed him that if he had missed the apple with the first arrow, he would certainly have hit him, Gessler, with the second. At this bold reply the bailiff gave the order for Tell to be taken to his castle near Küssnacht and to imprison him for the rest of his life

The whole party including Gessler, embarked for Küssnacht. But they had not long been afloat when a tremendous storm arose and threatened to sink the boat. Even the sailors began to get alarmed and told the bailiff that Tell, who was almost as good a steersman as he was a crossbowman, was their last hope. So Tell was set free and given control of the boat. He steered straight for a rocky ledge on the Axen and when he was near enough he took his crossbow and sprang on to the ledge kicking the boat back into the raging waters.
 

William Tell hurried over the mountains to the "Hollow Way" near Küssnacht where he expected Gessler. The bailiff had just escaped the storm and came riding up. Here Tell killed Gessler with the second arrow, which he had not needed in Altdorf.
 

The news of Tell's deed spread quickly around the country, inspiring the movement for freedom and independence in the Forest Cantons.