The Hunch-back of Notre Dame wants to retire so he decides to have open
auditions for his replacement. At the end of the first day of try-outs,
Quasimodo notices that the last applicant has no arms! “How can you ring the
bells without arms?” he asks. The man says he’s sure he can do it and begs to
be given a chance.
When Quasimodo agrees, the man takes a few steps back, runs face first into a
bell and staggers back, stunned. Quasimodo says “That’s fine but can you do
more than one?” The man takes a few steps back, runs toward the bells, misses,
falls off the tower and smashes onto the courtyard far below.
Quasimodo runs down the hundreds of steps and rushes out into the gathered
crowd. “Does anyone know who he was?” Someone in the crowd yells out “I don’t
know his name but his face rings a bell!”
…
…
…
The next day, ANOTHER armless man applies for the job. He assures Quasimodo that he knows what the other man
did wrong and has learned from his mistake.
When Quasimodo reluctantly agrees, the man takes a few steps back, runs face
first into a bell and staggers back, stunned. Quasimodo says “The other guy did
that yesterday, but can you do more than one?” The man takes a few steps back,
runs toward the bells, also misses, also falls off the tower and also smashes
onto the courtyard far below.
Quasimodo again runs down the hundreds of steps and rushes out into the gathered
crowd. “Does anyone know who HE was?” Someone in the crowd yells out “I don’t
know his name but he’s a dead-ringer for that other guy!”