,,,,,.~:*¤ ¤*:~.,,,,,
,,,,,,.~:* *:~.,,,,,,
,,,,,,,.~: :~.,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,.~ ~.,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,.~: :~.,,,,,,,
,,,,,,.~:* ,,,:,,, *:~.,,,,,,
,,,,,.~:*¤ 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... @&¤*:~.,,,
,,,,.~:*¤& &¤*:~.,,,,
,,,,,.~:*¤ ¤*:~.,,,,,
,,,,,,.~:* *:~.,,,,,,
,,,,,,,.~: :~.,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,.~ ~.,,,,,,,,