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...