#&**=~,... ...,~=**&#
&**=~,.... ....,~=**&
**=~,..... .....,~=**
*=~,...... ......,~=*
=~,....... .......,~=
~,........ ...=... ........,~
,......... 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... .......,~=
*=~,...... ......,~=*
**=~,..... .....,~=**
&**=~,.... ....,~=**&
#&**=~,... ...,~=**&#
@#&**=~,.. ..,~=**&#@