Date: Fri, 06 Sep 2002 00:03:58 -0400
From: Wem Baster
Subject: BLAGUES-L: The monk


Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 07:18:22 -0400
From: Jean Paul Octeau
From:	Pierre Phaneuf


A new monk arrived at the monastery.  He was assigned to help the other
monks in copying the old texts by hand.  He noticed, however, that they
were copying copies, not the original books.

The new monk went to the head monk to ask him about this. He pointed out
that if there were an error in the first copy, that error would be
continued in all of the other copies.  The head monk said, "We have been
copying from the copies for centuries, but you make a good point, my
son."

The head monk went down into the cellar with one of the copies to check
it against the original.  Hours later, nobody had seen him, so one of
the monks went downstairs to look for him.  He heard a sobbing coming
from the back of the cellar and found the old monk leaning over one of
the original books, crying.  He asked what was wrong. "The word is
'celebrate', not 'celibate'!" sobbed the head monk.