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...