William Tell. 37 WILLIAM TELL. SOME, list to me, and you shall hear A famous man of Switzerland--. Near Reuss's bank, from day to day, His little flock he led, By prudent thrift and hardy toil Nor was the hunter's craft unknown; In Uri none was seen To track the rock-frequenting herd A little son was in his home, A laughing, fair-haired boy; His father's sheep were all his friends; So peacefully their hours were spent, They took the good of every day, And hoped for more to-morrow. But oft some shining April morn And blackest griefs o'er joyous homes, Not yet on Switzerland had dawned Her day of liberty: The stranger's yoke was on her sons, So one was sent in luckless hour, One day, in wantonness of power, "Bow down, ye slaves," the order ran; "Who disobeys shall die!" It chanced that WILLIAM TELL, that morn, For oft the boy had eyed the spoil And often on some merry night He longed his father's bow to take, So to the chamois' haunts they went ; The other brooded mournfully O'er Uri's griefs and wrongs. William Tell. TELL saw the crowd, the lifted cap, And heralds shouted in his ear, "Bow down, ye slaves, bow down!" Stern Gesler marked the peasant's mien, But never palm-tree straighter stood "My knee shall bend," he calmly said, "To God, and God alone; My life is in the Austrian's hand, My conscience is my own." "Seize him, ye guards!" the ruler cried, While passion choked his breath; "He mocks my power, he braves my lord; He dies a traitor's death; Yet wait. The Swiss are marksmen true, So all the world doth say: That fair-haired stripling hither bring; We'll try their skill to-day." Hard by, a spreading lime-tree stood; "The fault is mine, if fault there be," Cried TELL in accents wild; "On manhood let your vengeance fall, But spare, oh spare my child!" 39 "I will not harm the pretty boy," Said Gesler tauntingly; "If blood of his shall stain the ground, Yours will the murder be. Draw light your bow, my cunning man, A mingled noise of grief and wrath Full fifty paces from his child, His cross-bow in his hand, Sure, full enough of pain and woe Then spake aloud the gallant boy, Impatient of delay: "Shoot straight and quick, thine aim is sure; Thou can'st not miss to-day." "Heaven bless thee now!" the parent said, "Thy courage shames my fear; Man tramples on his brother man, But God is ever near!" William Tell. The bow was bent, the arrow went, As by an angel guided; In pieces two, beneath the tree, The apple fell divided. "'Twas bravely done," the ruler said, "My plighted word I keep; 'Twas bravely done by sire and son,-Go home, and feed your sheep." "No thanks I give thee for the boon," The peasant coldly said; "To God alone my praise is due, And duly shall be paid. Yet know, proud man, thy fate was near, Had I but missed my aim; Not unavenged my child had died,— Thy parting hour the same. For see! a second shaft was here, If harm my boy befell: Now go and bless the heavenly powers My first has sped so well." God helped the right, God spared the sin: He guards the weak against the strong, Praise to his holy name! REV. J. H. GURNEY. 41 |