This week, on Myths and Legends, it's the story of William Telle, the most dangerous grocery shopping

companion, and you'll learn what item of clothing to make people bow to in order to earn their

undying resentment. It's actually pretty much any item of clothing, and on the

the Christmas Eve, it's the reason why you might actually save your neighbor's life by egging their house.

From Bardock, this is Myths and Legends, episode 99. One Shot.

This is a podcast where I tell stories from mythology and folklore. Some are incredibly

popular stories you think you know, but with surprising origins. Others are stories you might

not have heard, but really should. You probably know of William Telle from two things.

An overture, and an arrow in an apple. The quote-unquote real William Telle lived in what is now

modern-day Switzerland in the 14th century, around the time of the high Middle Ages. The black

death is wiping out hundreds of millions of people across Europe, the hundred years worse,

taking lives in Britain and France, and the crusades are claiming lives in the Middle East.

It's not a great time. Like I said, this story takes place in Switzerland, which was under the

role of the Habsburg Monarchy, which would become known as the Austrian Monarchy, or the Austrian Empire.

Basically, according to Swiss histories and folklore, the monarchy ruled with a very heavy hand,

and there were those among the Swiss that formed a resistance, a rebellion, in William Telle,

the hero of our story, was not among them.

The hat sat high atop the pole in the middle of the central square. Everyone knew who it was,

and what it meant, and they knew what they were expected to do.

Bow. It was like a blood clot in the flow of the traffic through the city of Altdorf.

The governor, Gessler, an agent of the Austrian oppressors, had marched into the square one

fall morning. Several soldiers falling close behind him with a long pole. He had taken off his hat,

...