Question
Note to moderator: Read the answerline carefully. The earliest appearance of a motif about this task comes from Saxo Grammaticus, who writes that Harald Bluetooth ordered Palnatoki to do it while drunk. For 10 points each:
[10m] Name this task performed in another tale on the order of the bailiff Gessler, by a man who refused to bow to a hat placed on a pole. A description is acceptable.
ANSWER: shooting an apple off the head of one’s child [prompt on archery or shooting by asking “what is the target?”; prompt on shooting an apple or apple-shot or Apfelschuss by asking “off of what?”; prompt on shooting at one’s child or shooting at the head of one’s child]
[10e] The most famous instance of the apple-shot motif comes from the story of this Swiss folk hero who titles a Rossini opera.
ANSWER: William Tell [or Guillaume Tell]
[10h] In another myth, this character must shoot an apple off his son’s head at the instigation of king Nidud. This skald writes runes in his blood on a horn, thereby destroying it and thwarting a poisoning attempt, in a text titled for him that may share authorship with the Heimskringla.
ANSWER: Egil [or Aigil; or Egil Skallagrímsson; accept Egil’s Saga]
<Oxford A, Mythology>
Summary
| Florida | 2025-02-01 | Y | 3 | 13.33 | 100% | 33% | 0% |
| Great Lakes | 2025-02-01 | Y | 6 | 16.67 | 100% | 67% | 0% |
| Lower Mid-Atlantic | 2025-02-01 | Y | 6 | 16.67 | 100% | 67% | 0% |
| Midwest | 2025-02-01 | Y | 6 | 21.67 | 100% | 100% | 17% |
| North | 2025-02-01 | Y | 3 | 13.33 | 100% | 33% | 0% |
| Northeast | 2025-02-01 | Y | 5 | 16.00 | 100% | 60% | 0% |
| Overflow | 2025-02-01 | Y | 4 | 15.00 | 100% | 50% | 0% |
| Pacific Northwest | 2025-02-01 | Y | 2 | 15.00 | 100% | 50% | 0% |
| South Central | 2025-02-01 | Y | 2 | 15.00 | 100% | 50% | 0% |
| Southeast | 2025-02-01 | Y | 4 | 15.00 | 100% | 50% | 0% |
| Upper Mid-Atlantic | 2025-02-01 | Y | 9 | 14.44 | 89% | 44% | 11% |
| Upstate NY | 2025-02-01 | Y | 3 | 10.00 | 100% | 0% | 0% |