Page:Life in the Old World - Vol. I.djvu/136

152 help their innocent, oppressed people to regain their ancient liberty and rights, so that all the Swiss should have forever, the enjoyment of this friendship. The Counts of Hapsburg should not, however, lose, in consequence of it, the least of their property or their rights, their people or servants, or one drop of blood, but the freedom which the Swiss inherited from their forefathers, would they preserve to leave to their successors.”

They agreed as to the manner and the time of carrying out their resolution. After this they returned home, kept their own counsel, and gathered in their cattle for the winter.

This was the confederacy of Grutli—the first Sworn-Confederacy. Nor has the sun ever risen upon a more beautiful or purer confederacy. At the moment when I write this, the lofty meadow of Grutli shines out just opposite the lake, splendidly green in the morning sun, which seems as if it would bless this spot, whilst the Mythen-stone rises solitarily from the lake like an eternal monument, placed there by the hand of the Creator.

It was on New-Year's morning, 1308, when the fight for freedom was to commence. It began with the first hour, when, at the given signal of a horn, Landenberg's castle was stormed. The inhabitants of Uri demolished Zwing-Uri. Stauffacher, with his Schwytzers, took Schwanau and Küssnacht. The bailiffs fled, the castles were in flames, and the national tempest advanced from Alp to Alp. But not a drop of blood was spilled on this day. Freedom, not revenge, was the desire of the people of the Forest