£=:~:..... .....:~:=£
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:~:....... .......:~:
~:........ ........:~
:......... .........:
.......... ...:... ..........
.......... 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... .....:~:=£
=:~:...... ......:~:=
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.......... ..........