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...