In a pleasant wooded valley lived a huntsman tall and able
He relied on skill and cunning for the food upon his table
He would walk the forest shadows with his little son in tow
Teaching him the archer's art and all that he should know
Keep your eye clear and keen like a falcon on the wing
Keep your heart strong and steady like your hand upon the string
Never bow to a tyrant while your people are laid low
For the highest head may fall to the man who wields a bow
In the valley there was freedom and a man was let to living
But as "here" gave way to "near" the ruling men grew less forgiving
On a day as black as death a governor to rule them came
Turning landsmen into slaves and Gessler was his name
In the centre of the village Gessler set a lofty pillar
And he ordered every subject, be he serf or be he miller,
To do homage to the hat that Gessler placed atop the pole
Or to forfeit to the crown his life if not his soul
But the huntsman William Tell came in to town the morning after
William heard of Gessler's order and could only roar with laughter
Honest men should hold the rank above a petty autocrat
I would never bow to him I'll not bow to his hat
Keep your eye clear and keen like a falcon on the wing
Keep your heart strong and steady like your hand upon the string
Never bow to a tyrant while your people are laid low
For the highest head may fall to the man who wields a bow
Gessler's soldiers seized the huntsman and his little son for treason
But the people of the village cried for mercy and for reason
Gessler stays the execution, but a cruel test contrives
"Prove to me your skill and you may ransom back your lives
I have heard it said you have no peer with longbow and with arrow
That your shaft can find the
Quickest hare and fell the smallest sparrow
On the head of your young song I'll place an apple ripe and red
Split it with one shot or at my word you both are dead."
William Tell went to his son and said, "I swear I will not hurt you
Courage will not bow to fear, nor shall this evil conquer virtue
Turn your face toward our home and stand as still as any tree
I will split the apple we shall soon be home and free!"
Keep your eye clear and keen like a falcon on the wing
Keep your heart strong and steady like your hand upon the string
Never bow to a tyrant while your people are laid low
For the highest head may fall to the man who wields a bow
Every tongue was still and silent as the archer paced the distance
Gessler's soldiers lined the square
And there was no hope of resistance
William nocked a single arrow, put his shoulders back, and drew
Then the arrow sang and split the apple clean in two
All at once the crowd erupted into cheers and into chatter
And the second arrow fell from William's quiver with a clatter
Gessler said, "Why hold two arrows when I bid you shoot but one?"
"That one would have found your heart if I had shot my son."
"Take the archer now, and hang him!" Gessler to his men was crying
But before the soldiers moved the archer and his son were flying
From the shelter of the wood the hunter loosed his final dart
Gessler died with William's arrow buried in his heart
Keep your eye clear and keen like a falcon on the wing
Keep your heart strong and steady like your hand upon the string
Never bow to a tyrant while your people are laid low
For the highest head may fall to the man who wields a bow
Keep your eye clear and keen like a falcon on the wing
Keep your heart strong and steady like your hand upon the string
Never bow to a tyrant while your people are laid low
For the highest head may fall to the man who wields a bow