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...