(A Model Assignment)

John Smith

054-39-4312

September 21, 1998

GIS 0510

This story takes place in Switzerland, about 600 years ago. At that time, the Swiss were under Austrian rule. The Austrian governor Gessler sets his cap in a village square and forces the Swiss people to salute it. William Tell, a famous archer and a leader of his people, walks by this pole with his young son, and, despite the presence of many Austrian soldiers, defiantly refuses to salute Gessler's cap. Tell is brought to Gessler, who presents him with a terrible choice: succeed in shooting an apple off his son's head, in which case both walk away free; or fail, in which case both are killed. Tell coolly takes two arrows from his quiver and splits the apple in half. Gessler then asks why he had taken out two arrows instead of just one, and Tell replies that the second one was meant for Gessler had Tell's son been hurt. As punishment, that night Gessler and a few soldiers take Tell to a dungeon across a lake. A terrible storm breaks out and Tell receives permission to guide the boat to shore. When the boat touches land, he grabs his bow, leaps out, and kills Gessler. This event encouraged the Swiss people to free their land from Austrian oppression. Tell is still remembered as a hero.