\paperw4260 \margr0\margl0 \plain \fs20 \f1 \fs24 The oasis is a garden in the midst of the desert, a mirage made real, a reward for the fatigues of a difficult journey. It relie
s on underground springs during the long periods of drought. Essential to the environmental and economic equilibrium of arid zones, it requires constant care.\par
The oasis provides the \b \cf2 \ATXht10202 bedouin\b0 \cf0 \ATXht0 with his \i al asuadan
\i0 , the two basic needs of his existence: water and the date. The date is life itself and no part of the tree is wasted: the nutritious fruits are eaten; the trunk is used for building; mats are woven from the leaves; rope is made from the fiber; the s
cales of the bark are an excellent fuel; and the sap, or \i laghmi\i0 , is fermented to make a strong alcoholic drink, prohibited by Islam.\par
