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...