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...