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...