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...