The Swiss are subject to heavy taxes and cruel laws by the conquering Austrians and have to show respect to the Emperor's hat placed in each village. William Tell refuses and is arrested and hearing of his prowess with the crossbow Landburgher Gessler forces Tell to shoot at an apple on his son's head.
Gessler orders William Tell's arrest, after he steals a cache of arms, and takes six innocent men hostage who will be executed if Tell does not surrender.
When his wife Hedda is captured by Gessler, Tell offers himself in exchange.
The Gauntlet of St. Gerhardt is a religious relic that the Swiss rally round and carry into battle. Gessler plans to steal the relic by killing the abbot that guards it.
The Austrians building a road into the heart of Switzerland with slave labour capture a resistance fighter. Tell has to free the prisoner.
Gessler falsely imprisons two men, Jules Gunther and Judge Furst who is William Tell's father-in- law. Tell has to expose his replacement Judge and free the men.
Prince Karl, the cousin of the Austrian emperor is assassinated and Gessler arrests two men but gives them the chance to save themselves if they find William Tell and kill him.
A beautiful woman seeks William Tell's help as she is being blackmailed by her bailiff for helping a resistance fighter. Hedda Tell suspects a plot and follows her husband.
A local monastery is making money from the wine they make, with the proceeds going to founding a school, comes to the attention of Gessler and he wants the recipe in lieu of taxes.
A young girl is accused of spying for the Austrians and Tell has to prove her innocence before the townspeople hang her.
Gessler is under pressure from the Emperor to collect more taxes but his sleep is disturbed by a persistent Cuckoo outside his bedroom.
The son of a robber known, because of his size, as The Bear joins the resistance against his father's wishes. The Bear challengers Tell to a fight and if Tell wins his son can stay with the resistance.