James Baquet

    Many readers of a certain vintage will recall seeing a masked man on a white horse riding across their TV screens and shooting at something. In the background was a thrilling piece of music featuring horns, and a voiceover: “A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty ‘Hi-yo, Silver!’”

    The music used in “The Lone Ranger” was part of the “William Tell Overture” by Giachino Rossini. Was there any connection between these two heroes, the legendary (but little-known in the English-speaking world) William Tell, and the fictional TV character “The Lone Ranger?”

    Perhaps. Let’s look at William Tell’s legend, and you decide.

    Our scene is set in Switzerland, around the start of the 14th century. As such, it is told in several languages, the hero being called in German “Wilhelm,” in French, “Guillaume,” and “Guglielmo” in Italian.

    The Habsburg emperors of Austria were attempting to dominate the Alpine Canton (as Swiss provinces are called) of Uri. One of Uri’s citizens, they say, was this William Tell. He was famed for his outdoorsy abilities: physical strength, mountain-climbing, and especially his skill with a weapon that seems like the mix of a gun and a bow, the crossbow.

    The Habsburgs had sent a new overlord, the haughty Gessler. To assert his power, Gessler hung his hat on a pole and insisted that the townspeople bow to it whenever they passed.

    Visiting town with his son, Tell would have none of that. He refused to submit to this indignity, and was arrested. Gessler, however, had heard of Tell’s skill with the crossbow, and set up a cruel test. Tell was to shoot an apple off of his own son’s head. If he refused, he and his son were to be executed.

    Tell accepted the challenge and won, naturally.

    Gessler, however, had noticed at the start of the trial that Tell had drawn not one arrow, but two. Curious, he asked Tell why. The hero answered: “It’s simple. Had I killed my son, the second arrow was for you.”

    Gessler was livid, and had Tell arrested. He later escaped and assassinated Gessler, starting a successful rebellion.

    Vocabulary:

    Which word above means:

    1. musical introduction to an opera

    2. to reject or refuse to do something

    3. humiliating treatment

    4. vigorous, unrestrained

    5. located in the Alps, more generally, mountainous

    6. age (figuratively)

    7. enraged, furiously angry

    8. arrogant, snobbish

    9. off-screen narration

    10. done in the natural environment