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...