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...