Swiss used to dread these storms so much that they gave names to the
winds as if they were people. The south wind, which is the fiercest,
they called the Föhn. There used to be a law that when the Föhn arose,
all fires were to be put out. For the wind whistled and blew down the
wide chimneys like great bellows, till the fires flared up so fiercely
that the houses, which were built of wood, were in danger of being
burned to the ground. Now one of these fierce storms arose.
No one noticed when Gessler's boat pushed off from the shore how dark
the sky had grown nor how keenly the wind was blowing. But before the
boat had gone very far the waves began to rise, and the wind to blow
fiercer and fiercer.
Soon the little boat was tossing wildly on great white-crested waves.
The rowers bent to the oars and rowed with all their might. But in
spite of all they could do, the waves broke over the boat, filling
it with water. They were tossed here and there, until it seemed every
minute that they would sink.
Pale with fear, the captain stood at the helm. He was an Austrian who
knew nothing of the Swiss lakes, and he had never before been in such
a storm. He was helpless, and he knew that very soon the boat would be
a wreck.
Wrapped in his mantle, Gessler sat silent and still, watching the
storm. He, too, knew the danger.
As the waves dashed over him, one of Gessler's servants staggered to
his master's feet. "My lord," he said, "you see our need and danger,
yet methinks there is one man on board who could save us."
"Who is that?" asked Gessler.
"William Tell, your prisoner," replied the man. "He is known to be one
of the best sailors on this lake. He knows every inch of it. If any
one can save the boat, he can."
"Bring him here," said Gessler.
"It seems you are a sailor as well as an archer, Tell," said Gessler,
when his prisoner had been brought before him. "Can you save the boat
and bring us to land?"
"Yes," said Tell.
"Unbind him, then," said Gessler to the soldier, "but mark you, Tell,
you go not free. Even although you save us, you are still my prisoner.
Do not think to have any reward."
The rope which bound Tell's hands was cut, and he took his place at
the helm.
The waves still dashed high, the wind still howled, but under Tell's
firm hand the boat seemed to steady itself, and the rowers bent to
their work with new courage and strength in answer to his commanding
voice.
Tell, leaning forward, peered through the darkness and the spray.
There was one place where he knew it would be possible to land--where
a bold and desperate man at least might land. He was looking for that
place. Nearer and nearer to the shore he steered. At last he was quite
close to it. He glanced quickly round. His bow and arrows lay beside
him. He bent and seized them. Then with one great leap he sprang
ashore, and as he leaped he gave the boat a backward push with his
foot, sending it out again into the stormy waters of the lake.
There was a wild outcry from the sailors, but Tell was free, for no
one dared to follow him. Quickly clambering up the mountain-side, he
disappeared among the trees.
As Tell vanished, Gessler stood up and shouted in anger, but the
little boat, rocking and tossing on the waves, drifted out into the
lake, and the Austrian sailors, to whom the shore was unknown, dared
not row near to it again, lest they should be dashed to pieces upon
the rocks. Even as it was, they expected every moment that the boat
would sink, and that all would be drowned. But despair seemed to
give the sailors fresh strength, and soon the wind fell and the waves
became quieter. A few hours later, wet, weary, but safe, Gessler and
his company landed on the shore of Schwyz.
[Illustration: WILLIAM TELL AND HIS FRIENDS.]
IV
TELL'S SECOND SHOT
As soon as Gessler landed, he called for his horse, and silent and
gloomy, his heart full of bitter hate against Tell and all the Swiss,
he mounted and rode towards his castle at Küssnacht.
But Tell's heart, too, was full of hate and anger. That morning he had
been a gentle, peace-loving man. Now all was changed. Gessler's cruel
jest had made him hard and angry. He could not forget that he might
have killed his own boy. He seemed to see always before him Walter
bound to the tree with the apple on his head. Tell made up his mind
that Gessler should never make any one else suffer so much. There was
only one thing to do. That was to kill Gessler, and that Tell meant to
do.
If Gessler escaped from the storm, Tell was sure that he would go
straight to his castle at Küssnacht. There was only one road which led
from the lake to the castle, and at a place called the Hollow Way
it became very narrow, and the banks rose steep and rugged on either
side. There Tell made up his mind to wait for Gessler. There he meant
to free his country from the cruel tyrant.
Without stopping for food or rest, Tell hurried through the woods
until he came to the Hollow Way. There he waited and watched. Many
people passed along the road. There were herds with their flocks, and
travelers of all kinds, among them a poor woman whose husband had
been put in prison by Gessler, so that now she had no home, and had to
wander about with her children begging. She stopped and spoke to Tell,
and the story she told of Gessler's cruelty made Tell's heart burn
with anger, and made him more sure than ever that the deed he meant to
do was just and right.
The day went on, and still Gessler did not come, and still Tell
waited. At last he heard the distant tramp of feet and the sound of
voices. Surely he had come at last. But as the sounds came nearer,
Tell knew that it could not be Gessler, for he heard music and
laughter, and through the Hollow Way came a gaily dressed crowd. It
was a wedding-party. Laughing and merry, the bride and bridegroom
with their friends passed along. When they were out of sight the wind
brought back the sound of their merry voices to Tell, as he waited
upon the bank. They, at least, had for a time forgotten Gessler.
At last, as the sun was setting, Tell heard the tramp of horses, and a
herald dashed along the road, shouting, "Room for the governor. Room,
I say."
As Gessler came slowly on behind, Tell could hear him talking in a
loud and angry voice to a friend. "Obedience I will have," he was
saying. "I have been far too mild a ruler over this people. They grow
too proud. But I will break their pride. Let them prate of freedom,
indeed. I will crush--" The sentence was never finished. An arrow
whizzed through the air, and with a groan Gessler fell, dead.
Tell's second arrow had found its mark.
Immediately everything was in confusion. Gessler's soldiers crowded
round, trying to do something for their master. But it was useless. He
was dead. Tell's aim had been true.
"Who has done this foul murder?" cried one of Gessler's friends,
looking round.
"The shot was mine," answered Tell, from where he stood on the high
bank. "But no murder have I done. I have but freed an unoffending
people from a base and cowardly tyrant. My cause is just, let God be
the judge."
At the sound of his voice every one turned to look at Tell, as he
stood above them calm and unafraid.
"Seize him!" cried the man who had already spoken, as soon as he
recovered from his astonishment. "Seize him, it is Tell the archer."
Five or six men scrambled up the steep bank as fast as they could. But
Tell slipped quietly through the bushes, and when they reached the top
he was nowhere to be found.
The short winter's day was closing in fast, and Tell found it easy to
escape in the darkness from Gessler's soldiers. They soon gave up the
chase, and, returning to the road, took up their master's dead body
and carried it to his castle at Küssnacht There was little sorrow
for him, for he had been a hard master. The Austrian soldiers did not
grieve, and the Swiss, wherever they heard the news, rejoiced.
As soon as he was free of the soldiers, Tell turned and made for
Stauffacher's house. All through the night he walked, until he came
to the pretty house with its red roofs and many windows which had made
Gessler so angry.
Now there was no light in any of the windows, and all was still and
quiet. But Tell knew in which of the rooms Stauffacher slept, and he
knocked softly upon the window until he had aroused his friend.
"William Tell!" said Stauffacher in astonishment. "I heard from Walter
Fürst that you were a prisoner. Thank Heaven that you are free again."
"I am free," said Tell; "you, too, are free. Gessler is dead."
"Gessler dead!" exclaimed Stauffacher. "Now indeed have we cause for
thankfulness. Tell me, how did it happen?" and he drew William Tell
into the house.
Tell soon told all his story. Then Stauffacher, seeing how weary he
was, gave him food and made him rest.
That night Tell slept well. All next day he remained hidden in
Stauffacher's house. "You must not go," said his friend, "Gessler's
soldiers will be searching for you." But when evening came Tell crept
out into the dark again, and kind friends rowed him across the
lake back to Flüelen. There, where a few days before he had been a
prisoner, he landed, now free.
Tell went at once to Walter Fürst's house, and soon messengers
were hurrying all through the land to gather together again the
Confederates, as those who had met on that eventful night were called.
This time they gathered with less fear and less secrecy, for was
not the dreaded governor dead? Not one but was glad, yet some of the
Confederates blamed Tell, for they had all promised to wait until the
first of January before doing anything. "I know," said Tell, "but he
drove me to it." And every man there who had left a little boy at home
felt that he too might have done the same thing.
Now that Tell had struck the first blow, some of the Confederates
wished to rise at once. But others said, "No, it is only a few weeks
now until New Year's Day. Let us wait."
So they waited, and everything seemed quiet and peaceful in the land,
for the Emperor sent no governor to take Gessler's place, as he was
far away in Austria, too busy fighting and quarreling there to think
of Switzerland in the meantime. "When I have finished this war," he
said, "it will be time enough to crush these Swiss rebels."
HERO OF PERSIA
RUSTEM
ADAPTED BY ALFRED J. CHURCH
I
THE SEVEN ADVENTURES OF RUSTEM
King Keïkobad died, and his son Kaoüs sat upon his throne. At first
he was a moderate and prudent prince; but finding his riches increase,
and his armies grow more and more numerous, he began to believe that
there was no one equal to him in the whole world, and that he could
do what he would. One day as he sat drinking in one of the chambers
of his palace, and boasting after his custom, a Genius, disguised as
a minstrel, came to the King's chamberlain, and desired to be admitted
to the royal presence. "I came," he said, "from the country of the
Genii, and I am a sweet singer. Maybe the King, if he were to hear me,
would give me a post in his court."
The chamberlain went to the King, and said, "There is a minstrel at
the gate; he has a harp in his hand, and his voice is marvelously
sweet."
"Bring him up," said the King.
So they brought him in, and gave him a place among the musicians,
and commanded that he should give them a trial of his powers. So the
minstrel, after playing a prelude on his harp, sang a song of the land
of the Genii.
"There is no land in all the world" this was the substance of his
song--"like Mazanderan, the land of the Genii. All the year round the
rose blooms in its gardens and the hyacinth on its hills. It knows no
heat nor cold, only an eternal spring. The nightingales sing in its
thicket, and through its valleys wander the deer, and the water of its
stream is as the water of roses, delighting the soul with its perfume.
Of its treasures there is no end; the whole country is covered with
gold and embroidery and jewels. No man can say that he is happy unless
he has seen Mazanderan."
When the King heard this song, he immediately conceived the thought
of marching against this wonderful country. Turning, therefore, to his
warriors, he said: "We are given over to feasting; but the brave must
not suffer himself to rest in idleness. I am wealthier and, I doubt
not, stronger than all the kings that have gone before me; it becomes
me also to surpass them in my achievements. We will conquer the land
of Genii."
The warriors of the King were little pleased to hear such talk from
his lips. No one ventured to speak, but their hearts were full of
trouble and fear, for they had no desire to fight against the Genii.
"We are your subjects, O King," they said, "and will do as you
desire." But when they were by themselves, and could speak openly,
they said one to another, "What a trouble is this that has come of
our prosperous fortune! Unless by good fortune the King forgets this
purpose of his, we and the whole country are lost. Jemshid, whom the
Genii and the Peris and the very birds of the air used to obey, never
ventured to talk in this fashion of Mazanderan, or to seek war against
the Genii; and Feridun, though he was the wisest of kings, and skilful
in all magical arts, never cherished such a plan." So they sat,
overwhelmed with anxiety.
At last one of them said, "My friends, there is only one way of
escaping from this danger. Let us send a swift dromedary to Zal of the
white hair, with this message: 'Though your head be covered with dust,
do not stay to wash it, but come.' Perhaps Zal will give the King
wise advice, and, telling him that this plan of his is nothing but a
counsel of Satan, will persuade him to change his purpose. Otherwise
we are lost, small and great."
The nobles listened to this advice, and sent a messenger to Zal,
mounted on a swift dromedary.
When Zal heard what had happened, he said:
"The King is self-willed. He has not yet felt either the cold or the
heat of the world. He thinks that all men, great and small, tremble
at his sword, and it must needs be that he learn better by experience.
However, I will go; I will give him the best advice that I can. If he
will be persuaded by me, it will be well; but if not, the way is open,
and Rustem shall go with his army." All night long he revolved these
matters in his heart. The next morning he went his way, and arrived at
the court of the King.
The King received him with all honor, bade him sit by his side, and
inquired how he had borne the fatigue of his journey, and of the
welfare of Rustem, his son. Then Zal spoke:
"I have heard, my lord, that you are forming plans against the land of
the Genii. Will it please you to listen to me? There have been mighty
kings before you, but never during all my years, which now are many,
has any one of them conceived in his heart such a design as this. This
land is inhabited by Genii that are skilful in all magical arts. They
can lay such bonds upon men that no one is able to hurt them. No sword
is keen enough to cut them through; riches and wisdom and valor are
alike powerless against them. I implore you, therefore, not to waste
your riches, and the riches of your country and the blood of your
warriors, on so hopeless an enterprise."
The King answered, "Doubtless it is true that the kings my
predecessors never ventured to entertain such a plan. But am I not
superior to them in courage, in power and wealth? Had they such
warriors as you, and Rustem your son? Do not think to turn me from my
purpose. I will go against the country of these accursed magicians,
and verily I will not leave one single soul alive in it, for they are
an evil race. If you do not care to come with me, at least refrain
from advising me to sit idle upon my throne."
When Zal heard this answer, he said: "You are the King, and we are
your slaves. Whatever you ordain is right and just, and it is only by
thy good pleasure that we breathe and move. I have said what was in my
heart. All that remains now is to obey, and to pray that the Ruler of
the world may prosper your counsels."
When he had thus spoken, Zal took leave of the King, and departed for
his own country.
The very next day the King set out with his army for the land of the
Genii, and, after marching for several days, pitched his tent at the
foot of Mount Asprus, and held a great revel all the night long with
his chiefs. The next morning he said, "Choose me two thousand men who
will break down the gates of Mazanderan with their clubs. And take
care that when you have taken the city you spare neither young nor
old, for I will rid the world of these magicians." They did as the
King commanded, and in a short space of time the city, which was
before the richest and most beautiful in the whole world, was made
into a desert.
When the King of Mazanderan heard of these things he called a
messenger, and said: "Go to the White Genius and say to him, 'The
Persians have come with a great army and are destroying everything.
Make haste and help me, or there will be nothing left to preserve.'"
The White Genius said, "Tell the King not to be troubled; I will see
to these Persians."
That same night the whole army of King Kaoüs was covered with a
wonderful cloud. The sky was dark as pitch, and there fell from it
such a terrible storm of hailstones that no one could stand against
them. When the next morning came, lo! the King and all that had
not fled--for many fled to their own country--or been killed by
the hailstones, were blind. Seven days they remained terrified and
helpless. On the eighth day they heard the voice, loud as a clap of
thunder, of the White Genius.
"King," said he, "you coveted the land of Mazanderan, you entered the
city, you slew and took prisoners many of the people; but you did not
know what I could do. And now, see, you have your desire. Your lot is
of your own contriving."
The White Genius then gave over the King and his companions to the
charge of an army of twelve thousand Genii, and commanded that they
should be kept in prison, and have just so much food given them as
should keep them alive from day to day. Kaoüs, however, contrived to
send by one of his warriors a message to Zal the White-haired, telling
him of all the troubles that had come upon him. When Zal heard the
news he was cut to the heart, and sent without delay for Rustem.
"Rustem," said he, "this is no time for a man to eat and drink and
take his pleasure. The King is in the hands of Satan, and we must
deliver him. As for me, I am old and feeble; but you are of the age
for war. Saddle Raksh, your horse, and set forth without a moment's
delay. The White Genius must not escape the punishment of his misdeeds
at your hands."
"The way is long," said Rustem; "how shall I go?"
"There are two ways," answered Zal, "and both are difficult and
dangerous. The King went by the longer way. The other is by far the
shorter, a two-weeks' march and no more; but it is full of lions and
evil Genii, and it is surrounded by darkness. Still, I would have you
go by it. God will be your helper; and difficult as the way may be, it
will have an end, and your good horse Raksh will accomplish it. And if
it be the will of Heaven that you should fall by the hand of the White
Genius, who can change the ordering of destiny? Sooner or later we
must all depart, and death should be no trouble to him who has filled
the earth with his glory."
"My father, I am ready to do your bidding," said Rustem.
"Nevertheless, the heroes of old cared not to go of their own accord
into the land of death; and it is only he who is weary of life that
throws himself in the way of a roaring lion. Still I go, and I ask for
no help but from the justice of God. With that on my side I will break
the charm of the magicians. The White Genius himself shall not escape
me."
Rustem armed himself, and went on his way.
Rustem made such speed that he accomplished two days' journey in one.
But at last, finding himself hungry and weary, and seeing that there
were herds of wild asses in the plain which he was traversing, he
thought that he would catch one of them for his meal, and rest for the
night. So pressing his knees into his horse's side, he pursued one
of them. There was no escape for the swiftest beast when Rustem was
mounted on Raksh, and in a very short time a wild ass was caught with
the lasso. Rustem struck a light with a flintstone, and making a fire
with brambles and branches of trees, roasted the ass and ate it for
his meal. This done he took the bridle from his horse, let him loose
to graze upon the plain, and prepared himself to sleep in a bed of
rushes. Now in the middle of this bed of rushes was a lion's lair, and
at the end of the first watch the lion came back, and was astonished
to see lying asleep on the rushes a man as tall as an elephant, with a
horse standing near him. The lion said to himself, "I must first tear
the horse, and then the rider will be mine whenever I please." So he
leaped at Raksh; but the horse darted at him like a flash of fire, and
struck him on the head with his fore feet. Then he seized him by the
back with his teeth, and battered him to pieces on the earth. When
Rustem awoke and saw the dead lion, which indeed was of a monstrous
size, he said to Raksh, "Wise beast, who bade you fight with a lion?
If you had fallen under his claws, how should I have carried to
Mazanderan this cuirass and helmet, this lasso, my bow and my sword?"
Then he went to sleep again; but awaking at sunrise, saddled Raksh and
went on his way.
He had now to accomplish the most difficult part of his journey,
across a waterless desert, so hot that the very birds could not
live in it. Horse and rider were both dying of thirst, and Rustem,
dismounting, could scarcely struggle along while he supported his
steps by his spear. When he had almost given up all hope, he saw
a well-nourished ram pass by. "Where," said he to himself, "is the
reservoir from which this creature drinks?" Accordingly he followed
the ram's footsteps, holding his horse's bridle in one hand and his
sword in the other, and the ram led him to a spring. Then Rustem
lifted up his eyes to heaven and thanked God for his mercies;
afterwards he blessed the ram, saying, "No harm come to thee forever!
May the grass of the valleys and the desert be always green for thee,
and may the bow of him that would hunt thee be broken, for thou hast
saved Rustem; verily, without thee he would have been torn to pieces
by the wild beasts of the desert."
After this he caught another wild ass, and roasted him for his meal.
Then having bathed in the spring, he lay down to sleep; but before
he lay down, he said to Raksh, his horse: "Do not seek quarrel or
friendship with any. If an enemy come, run to me; and do not fight
either with Genius or lion."
After this he slept; and Raksh now grazed, and now galloped over the
plain.
Now it so happened that there was a great dragon that had its bed in
this part of the desert. So mighty a beast was it, that not even a
Genius had dared to pass by that way. The dragon was astonished to see
a man asleep and a horse by his side, and began to make its way to
the horse. Raksh did as he had been bidden, and running towards his
master, stamped with his feet upon the ground. Rustem awoke, and
seeing nothing when he looked about him--for the dragon meanwhile had
disappeared--was not a little angry. He rebuked Raksh, and went to
sleep again. Then the dragon came once more out of the darkness, and
the horse ran with all speed to his master, tearing up the ground and
kicking. A second time the sleeper awoke, but as he saw nothing but
darkness round him, he was greatly enraged, and said to his faithful
horse:
"Why do you disturb me? If it wearies you to see me asleep, yet you
cannot bring the night to an end. I said that if a lion came to attack
you, I would protect you; but I did not tell you to trouble me in this
way. Verily, if you make such a noise again, I will cut off your head
and go on foot, carrying all my arms and armor with me to Mazanderan."
A third time Rustem slept, and a third time the dragon came. This
time Raksh, who did not venture to come near his master, fled over the
plain; he was equally afraid of the dragon and of Rustem. Still his
love for his master did not suffer him to rest. He neighed and tore
up the earth, till Rustem woke up again in a rage. But this time
God would not suffer the dragon to hide himself, and Rustem saw him
through the darkness, and, drawing his sword, rushed at him.
But first he said, "Tell me your name; my hand must not tear your soul
from your body before I know your name."
The dragon said, "No man can ever save himself from my claws; I have
dwelt in this desert for ages, and the very eagles have not dared to
fly across. Tell me then your name, bold man. Unhappy is the mother
that bore you."
"I am Rustem, son of Zal of the white hair," said the hero, "and there
is nothing on earth that I fear."
Then the dragon threw itself upon Rustem. But the horse Raksh laid
back his ears, and began to tear the dragon's back with his teeth,
just as a lion might have torn it.