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...