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...