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...