After Quasimodo's death, the bishop of the cathedral of
Notre Dame sent word through the streets of Paris that a
new bellringer was needed. The bishop decided that he
would conduct the interviews personally and went up into the
belfry to begin the screening process.
After observing several applicants demonstrate their skills,
he decided to call it a day when a lone, armless man
approached him an announced that he was there to apply for
the bellringers job. The bishop was incredulous."You have no
arms!" "No matter," said the man, "observe!" He then began
striking the bells with his face, producing a beautiful melody
on the carillon.
The bishop listened in astonishment, convinced that he
had finally found a suitable replacement for Quasimodo.
Suddenly, rushing forward to strike a bell, the armless man
tripped, and plunged headlong out of the belfry window to his
death in the street below.
The stunned bishop rushed down the many flights of stairs
to his side. When he reached the street, a crowd had
gathered around the fallen figure, drawn by the beautiful
music they had heard only moments before. As they
silently parted to let the bishop through, one of them asked,
"Bishop, who was this man?" "I don't know his name," the
bishop sadly replied, "but his face rings a bell..."
{NO WAIT! Not done yet! Take a few TUMS and read the
following!} <grinning>
The following day, despite the sadness that weighed
heavily on his heart due to the unfortunate death of the
armless campanologist (there's one for your funky wagonals),
the bishop continued his interviews for the bellringer of Notre
Dame. The first man to approach him said, "Your excellency,
I am the very close friend of the poor, armless wretch that
fell to his death from this very belfry yesterday. I pray that
you honor his life by allowing me to replace him in this duty."
The bishop agreed to give the man an audition, and as the
armless man's friend stooped to pick up a mallet to strike the
first bell, he groaned, clutched at his chest and died on the
spot. Two monks, hearing the bishop's cries of grief at this
second tragedy, rushed up the stairs to his side.
"What has happened?" the first breathlessly asked, "Who
is this man?"
"I don't know his name," sighed the distraught bishop, "but
dead ringer for the guy that was here yesterday....
<GROAN>
