[Rhodes22-list] joke, oldie but goodie. ...

[Alex Bell]

After Quasimodo's death, the bishop of the Cathedral 
of Notre Dame sent word through the streets of Paris 
that a new bell ringer was needed. 

The bishop decided that he would conduct the 
interviews personally and went up into the belfry to 

After observing several applicants demonstrate their 
skills, he had decided to call it a day when an armless 
man approached him and announced that he was there to 
apply for the bell ringer's job. 

The bishop was incredulous. "You have no arms!" 

"No matter,"said the man. "Observe!" And he began 
striking the bells with his face, producing a beautiful 
melody on the carillon. The bishop listened in 
astonishment; convinced he had finally found a 
replacement for Quasimodo. 

But 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 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....... 
"but his face rings a bell" 
WAIT! WAIT! There's more .. . .. 

The following day, despite the sadness that weighed 
heavily on his heart due to the unfortunate death of the 
armless campanologist, the bishop continued his 
interviews for the bell ringer of Notre Dame. 

The first man to approach him said, "Your 
Excellency, I am the brother 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 brother stooped, picked up a mallet 
and struck the bells as beautifully as his brother. But as 
he finished, he groaned, clutched at his chest, twirled 
around 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? Who is this man?" the first monk 
asked breathlessly. 

"I don't know his name," sighed the distraught 
bishop, but..." 


( . . . Wait for it . . .. ) 




( .. . . It's worth it . . ..) 

 
 
 
 
But he's a dead ringer for his brother