.......~~; ;~~.......
........~~ ~~........
.........~ ~.........
.......... ..........
.........~ ~.........
........~~ ...;... ~~........
.......~~; 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. $;~~......
.......~~; ;~~.......
........~~ at the end of his life, when at the ~~........
.........~ edge of the world he opened his eyes ~.........
.......... for a second time, stars had hatched in ..........
.........~ them... ~.........
........~~ ~~........
.......~~; ;~~.......
......~~;$ $;~~......
.....~~;$& &$;~~.....
....~~;$&& &&$;~~....