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...