ramesh
March 21, 2007, 11:33 AM
After Quasimodo's death, the bishop of Notre Dame sent word that a new bell-ringer was needed. He decided to conduct the interviews personally and went up to the belfry to begin. The first applicant proved to be a man with no arms! The bishop was incredulous. "But you have no arms!" he cried.
"No matter," said the man, "observe!" He then began striking the bells with his face, producing a beautiful melody on the carillon. The bishop was astonished, convinced he had finally found a suitable candidate. But just then, rushing forward to strike a bell, the armless man slipped, and plunged headlong out of the belfry window to his death in the street below.
The stunned bishop rushed to his side, where a crowd had gathered, drawn by the beautiful music. 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."
The next candidate to approach him said, "Your Eminence, I am the brother of the poor, armless wretch that fell to his death from this very belfry yesterday. I pray that you honour his life by allowing me to replace him."
Out of sympathy the bishop agreed but as the man went to strike the first bell, he groaned, clutched his chest and died on the spot. The bishop’s assistant saw this and rushed to his side "What has happened?" he asked, "Who was that man?"
"I don't know his name," sighed the bishop, "but he's a dead ringer for his brother."
"No matter," said the man, "observe!" He then began striking the bells with his face, producing a beautiful melody on the carillon. The bishop was astonished, convinced he had finally found a suitable candidate. But just then, rushing forward to strike a bell, the armless man slipped, and plunged headlong out of the belfry window to his death in the street below.
The stunned bishop rushed to his side, where a crowd had gathered, drawn by the beautiful music. 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."
The next candidate to approach him said, "Your Eminence, I am the brother of the poor, armless wretch that fell to his death from this very belfry yesterday. I pray that you honour his life by allowing me to replace him."
Out of sympathy the bishop agreed but as the man went to strike the first bell, he groaned, clutched his chest and died on the spot. The bishop’s assistant saw this and rushed to his side "What has happened?" he asked, "Who was that man?"
"I don't know his name," sighed the bishop, "but he's a dead ringer for his brother."