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...