Nor troops have I nor henchmen nor one to lend me aid Save God,
to whom, my Maker, my voice in praise I rear.
'Tis He who pardoneth errors alike to slave and free; On Him is
my reliance in good and evil cheer.

Then they fell to journeying night and day, and as they went,
behold, they sighted a camp of the camps of the Arabs. So El
Abbas enquired thereof and was told that it was the camp of the
Benou Zuhreh. Now there were around them sheep and cattle, such
as filled the earth, and they were enemies to El Akil, the cousin
of El Abbas, upon whom they still made raids and took his cattle;
wherefore he used to pay them tribute every year, for that he
availed not to cope with them. When El Abbas came near the camp,
he dismounted from his courser and his servant Aamir also
dismounted; and they set down the victual and ate their
sufficiency and rested awhile of the day. Then said the prince to
Aamir, "Fetch water and give the horses to drink and draw water
for us in thy water-bag, by way of provision for the road."

So Aamir took the water-skin and made for the water; but, when he
came to the well, behold, two young men with gazelles, and when
they saw him, they said to him, "Whither wilt thou, O youth, and
of which of the Arabs art thou?" "Harkye, lads," answered he,
"fill me my water-skin, for that I am a stranger man and a
wayfarer and I have a comrade who awaiteth me." Quoth they, "Thou
art no wayfarer, but a spy from El Akil's camp." Then they took
him and carried him to [their king] Zuheir ben Shebib; and when
he came before him, he said to him, "Of which of the Arabs art
thou?" Quoth Aamir, "I am a wayfarer." And Zuheir said, "Whence
comest thou and whither wilt thou?" "I am on my way to Akil,"