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...