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From: aeq@pucc-h (Jeff Sargent)
Newsgroups: net.jokes
Subject: double-barreled pun
Message-ID: <1427@pucc-h>
Date: Thu, 1-Nov-84 00:33:28 EST
Article-I.D.: pucc-h.1427
Posted: Thu Nov  1 00:33:28 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 1-Nov-84 03:34:48 EST
Organization: High-level Operating Systems Experts [HOSE], Inc.
Lines: 38

After a long career as bell-ringer at Notre Dame cathedral (in Paris, not South
Bend), Quasimodo was ready to retire, so he advertised in the papers for a new
bell-ringer.  The next day, a man came in answer to the ad -- though it seemed
that he could not qualify for the job, since he had no arms.  However, he
persuaded Quasimodo to at least give him a chance, and the two climbed up to
the top of the bell tower.

The man proceeded to hit the bell with his head, producing a rather faint ring.
Quasimodo immediately sought to terminate the interview, pointing out that the
bell needed to be heard for miles around; but the man said that he was just
getting a feel for the bell, and that the next ring would be good and loud.
Then the man leaned far back and then brought his head clanging into the bell
with great force.  This produced a respectable ring, but Quasimodo insisted
that it was still not loud enough.  So the man leaned wa-ay-ay back and then
clanged his head into the bell with all the force in his body.  The ring
produced was as loud as any produced by the normal method.  Alas, the inertia
of the man's forward motion was so strong that he could not stop himself, and
he fell over the edge of the bell tower to his death in the street far below.

After a while, the police inspector came to call on Quasimodo, pointing out
the mangled body at the foot of the bell tower and asking Quasimodo if he knew
the dead man.  Quasimodo replied, "Well, I don't know his name, but his face
rings a bell."

The next day, curiously enough, another armless man came to apply for the
position, and the same scenario was repeated:  One tap to test the bell;
one ring [to rule them all, one ring to find them...oops, wrong story] which
was respectable but insufficient; and one final tremendous clang which, alas,
again proved fatal for the applicant, as the stones of the street were further
bloodied by this second fall from the bell tower.  Again the inspector came to
call on Quasimodo, and he asked Quasimodo if he knew this second victim.
Quasimodo replied, "Well, I don't know his name, but he's a dead ringer for
the guy who was here yesterday."

-- 
-- Jeff Sargent
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