William Tell -- Separating Man and Myth

In the field of history we meet with many contested points, but it is rare to find an error persistently maintained during seven hundred years, in spite of the refutation of innumerable authors. This is the case with the tale of William Tell, which is nothing more nor less than a northern saga that has been adopted and repeated from generation to generation. The revolution which took place in Switzerland in 1307 gave rise to the legend of the Swiss hero, and, from that time to the present, writers have continually endeavoured to expose its unsound basis, but the public, equally pertinacious, have insisted on believing in its truth.