A priest runs an advertisement in a local newspaper for a church bell ringer. The bell did not have a rope and was usually rung by swinging a mallet against it. The next day a man with no arms stops the priest outside the church and asks him for the job. The priest says, "My son, I'm sure you are a man who is up to many tasks from which others with your condition would shy away. But, I don't think a job as the church bell ringer is meant for you."
The man replies, "But father, at least give me a chance to show you that I can handle the job."
The father relents and he and the no-armed man climb the narrow steps way up to the top of the belfry. When they arrive, the no-armed man asks the father to stand aside. The no-armed man then backs up as far as he can. His heels off the edge of the belfry, and with tremendous force, he runs face first into the bell. The bell rings gloriously, people from all over the city come out of their houses to hear the wondrous sound emanating from the church. The no-armed man's technique had a flaw however, because he bounced off the bell and fell out of the belfry onto the steps outside the church below. The priest rushes down to the steps of the church to see if he can provide any comfort to the unfortunate man.
As he arrives a crowd has gathered around the body on the steps. Then someone in the crowd asks, "Father, do you know this man?"
The priest replies, "Well, I don't know his name, but his face sure rings a bell!"
The next day a blind man shows up at the church door asking to replace the no-armed bell ringer. The priest says, "My son, how did you know that we needed a ringer for the bell?"
The man replies, "Because the man who died yesterday was my brother and I feel obligated to fill his spot in the belfry."
"That is very noble my son, but I wonder how you will see to hit the bell accurately and make it ring. But your ambition is large so let's go to the bell." They climbed the steps together. At the top the priest hands the man the mallet and faces him toward the bell. "Here you are my son. Give it a swing."
The man takes a deep breath, lifts the hammer slowly, turns his body and with a shocking force swings at the bell. Once again the bell rings but this time it was more glorious than before and people from all over the city came out of their houses and stopped their work to hear the wondrous sound emanating from the church.
"How was that, father?" the blind man smiled proudly.
"Just wonderful."
He set down the mallet, turned around and unknowingly walked off the edge of the bell tower falling to his death on the steps below. The priest rushes down to the steps of the church to see if he can provide any comfort to this unfortunate man. As he arrives a crowd has gathered around the body on the steps. Then
someone in the crowd asks, "Father, do you know this man?"
The priest replies, "Well, once again I don't know his name, but he's a dead ringer for his brother."