The Press., 1889-01-17
Issued Every Thursday Evening.
IS WILLIAM TELL A MYTH [

IS WILLIAM TELL MYTH1
 was curious to see on what ground the guide books based their statement, and to learn why we should class the tale of Tell with such tales as that of Hneas of Troy, King Arthur and the Round Table, or Robin Hood in the green woods of Eng land. The facts I obtained were scattered through various volumes, and can only give briefly few of the principal points, mostly taken from a German book, Tell and Gessler in Legend and History, by Rochholz:
 Chronicles most nearly contemporary with the time of the supposed life of Tell do not refer to him.
 The earliest chroniclers of the legend lived nearly two hundred years later.
 In many ages and countries are found legends of famous narksmen shooting at various small objects, rings, tablets, nuts, fruits, etc.
 Not few legends exist, of shooting at objects placed on the heads of persons | A Persian poet in 1175 wrote legend of king who put an apple on the head of favorite slave, shot at it, and split the ap- pie. The slave was made i'll by the fright.
 Among European legends, one is found in WestIhalia father named Egel, was compelled by prince to shoot an apple from his sons head. He took three arrows out of his quiver, afterward confessing that, if he had injured his son, he meant to kill the prince.
 In Denmark, a writer in the year 1900 relates that ill 912, man named Toko was compelled by King Harold, the Blue- Toothed, to shoot an apple from his sons head, and that he also, had he harmed his child, meant to shoot the king. king of Norway, Olaf the Pious, ob- | tained a promise from 8 heathen marksman that he would be baptized into the Christ ian faith, if the king would contend with him in shooting and win the match. The klng shot at chess figure or tablet on the head of boy and hit between the tablet aud the head, but grazed the head. On the entreaties of the boys mother and sis- ter, the marksman forebore to shoot again, and confessed himself conquered. Another nut on his brothers head. Years after, the king was pointed out in battle by this man to another marksman who shot him dead.
 All these were before the time of the Swiss Tell.
 Later, the legend appears in Holstein. The leader of an instruction against Christian in 1472 fled and concealed him. self in 8 swamp. The barking of his dog betrayed his hiding place. He was taken prisoner, but promised his freedom on the condition that he shot an apple from the head of his son. He put one arrow on the bow string and took another between his teeth, confessing afterward that if he failed in his first shot he intended to shoot the king. An old picture shows the marks man with the bow ready to shoot and the arrow between his teeth, the boy standing and the dog between the father and the boy.
 The legend and name of Tell seem tt have originated Tn Sweden or the Islands thereabouts, and to have come into Switz erland with the earliest settlers of tha country, who were wanderers out of Swe den. Tollus or Tellus (TelD was gian who lived on an island, Osel, belonging tt Sweden. He used to amuse himself witl throwing stones about. When he died, h. told his people to bury him ill his garder and if war came he would rise up and hell them. One day, some children who haG heard this tale stood on his grave ant fought and then called "Tollus, arise War is on thy grave p Tollus put his heat out, but was so angry at seeing only chil dren that he never appeared again. similar legend is told of William Tell that he was once disturbed in his sleel under the Axenberg by herdsman wht was seeking for a lost COW, and that h' was indignant at the disturbance. In tn, legend of the Swedish Tollus there is n' mention of shooting at an apple, but this part of the legend is current among thei Finish neighbors. Loring Bailey ia January Wide AaUaEe.