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...