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...