and put my breast to his mouth. Milk poured forth for him—by Allah’s will—in a quantity I had never produced before, though moments earlier it had been utterly dry. The child drank until he was fully satisfied; then his brother nursed until he too was satisfied, after which they both fell asleep. My husband and I lay down beside them to sleep as well, although until then we had managed only brief snatches of rest (1) because of our own small son.

A little later my husband cast a glance at our old, scrawny she-camel, and—behold—her two udders were swollen and full. Amazed and scarcely trusting his eyes, he went over to her, milked her, and drank. He then milked some for me, and I drank with him until we were both completely quenched and satiated. We spent that night in the best condition we had ever known.