At Notre Dame, Quasimodo the Hunchback was ready to retire from bell-ringing. Looking for a replacement, he posted a "Help Wanted – Bell-ringer" notice on the cathedral door. The next day, a young man came to the cathedral to apply for the job. Strangely, though, the guy had no arms. Quasimodo interviewed him and asked, "How do you expect to ring the bell with no arms?" The man replied, "Well, I can run up to the bell and hit it wih the front of my head." Skeptical, Quasimodo decided to try him out: "It's almost noon," he said, "so if you can ring the bell with the front of your head all 12 times to chime the hour, the job is yours."

Noon came, and the guy began running up to the bell and hitting it with his head repeatedly, growing bloodier, more bruised and more dizzy with each ring. Still he staggered on, ringing ten times, eleven times... Finally, on his twelfth try, fighting multiple concussions, he ran up to the bell... and missed. He ran right out of the bell tower and flew through the air, down to the street below, killing himself. Quasimodo rushed down to the street where a crowd had gathered. They asked him, "Quasimodo! Who is this man who ran out of the bell tower to his death?"

Quasimodo answered, "I don't know his name, but his face rings a bell."


Well, Quasimodo still needed a replacement bell-ringer, so he hung another "Help Wanted – Bell-ringer" notice on the cathedral door. The next day, another young man came to the cathedral to apply for the job. Oddly enough, this guy didn't have any arms either. Quasimodo interviewed him and asked, "Didn't you hear about the other guy with no arms who applied for this job, and died yesterday?" The man replied, "Yes, he was my brother. I would like to honor his memory by becoming the next bell-ringer for Notre Dame in his place." Deeply moved, Quasimodo decided to try him out: "It's almost noon again," he said, "so if you can ring the bell with the front of your head all 12 times to chime the hour, the job is yours."

Noon came, and the guy began running up to the bell and hitting it with his head repeatedly, as his brother had done, growing bloodier, more bruised and more dizzy with each ring. Still he staggered on, ringing ten times, eleven times... Finally, on his twelfth try, swaying on his feet and fighting to stay conscious, he ran up to the bell... and missed. He ran right out of the bell tower and flew through the air, down to the street below, killing himself. Quasimodo again rushed down to the street where a crowd had gathered. They asked him, "Quasimodo! Who is THIS man who ran out of the bell tower to his death?"

Quasimodo answered, "I don't know his name, but he's a dead ringer for his brother."