NAFTAKIN, THE BLIND           
                                   
                                          
 A STUDENT AT  THE CHARCOAL  GUILD... HIS 
 EYES SEWN  SHUT  FROM BIRTH... THE  MOST 
            SUCCESSFUL STUDENT            
                                          
 BUT ONE DAY HE  FELL DOWN INTO A CRYSTAL 
 CAVERN.  IT WAS DEEP IN THE MOUNTAIN,  A 
 GREAT  HALL  WITH  ONLY  A  SINGLE  TINY 
 INLET   FOR   BOTH  LIGHT  AND   FALLING 
                STUDENTS...               
                                          
 IN  THE FALL, THE QUARTZ  SLICED OFF THE 
 THREADS  IN HIS EYES,  OPENING  THEM FOR 
 THE  FIRST   TIME.   BEFORE   HIM,   THE 
 CRYSTALS MIRRORED AND REFRACTED  THE ONE 
 LIGHT SMIDGE  INTO  A  WHOLE  NIGHT SKY, 
 AND  HE   WAS  STRUCK   DOWN  WITH   AWE 
                                          
 BUT ALSO WITH  SHAME,  BECAUSE HIS  EYES 
 HAD  SEEN.  HURRIEDLY,  HE  USED  THREAD 
 FROM   HIS   ROBE  TO  SEW   THEM   BACK 
 TOGETHER, AND WHEN HELP  CAME HE DID NOT 
        TELL OF HIS TRANSGRESSION.        
                                          
 FOR YEARS  HE  STUDIED  AT THE GUILD. HE 
 BECAME  A  MASTER, AND  THEN  A PILGRIM. 
 YET THE  IMAGE FROM THE CAVE  NEVER LEFT 
                   HIM.                   
                                          
 AT  THE END  OF  HIS LIFE,  WHEN AT  THE 
 EDGE  OF THE WORLD  HE  OPENED HIS  EYES 
 FOR A SECOND TIME, STARS  HAD HATCHED IN 
                 THEM...