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...