Musnad Ahmad Hadith 23809

It is narrated from Miqdad bin Aswad (may Allah be pleased with him) that once I and my two companions presented ourselves before the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). We were extremely hungry. We presented ourselves to the companions (may Allah be pleased with them), but none of them accepted us. Then we came to the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), and he took us to his house. There were four goats in the house of the Prophet (ﷺ). The Prophet (ﷺ) said to me, "Miqdad! Milk these goats and divide the milk into four portions." So I did as he said. One night, the Prophet (ﷺ) was delayed in returning. I thought to myself that perhaps the Prophet (ﷺ) had eaten and drunk at the house of some Ansari and was satisfied. If I drank his share of the milk, it would not make any difference. I kept thinking like this until I stood up and drank the Prophet's (ﷺ) share of the milk and covered the bowl. When I had drunk the milk, various thoughts began to arise in my heart, and I started thinking, "What if the Prophet (ﷺ) comes in a state of hunger and finds nothing?" I wrapped myself in my sheet and kept thinking these thoughts. While I was still lost in these thoughts, the Prophet (ﷺ) arrived and greeted softly so that one who was awake would hear, but one who was asleep would not wake up. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) went to his milk, opened the vessel, but found nothing in it. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "O Allah! Feed the one who feeds me, and give drink to the one who gives me drink." (I considered this supplication a blessing and took a knife and went towards the goats to slaughter the fattest one for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). I saw that all the goats' udders were full of milk. Then I milked one into a vessel until it was full. Then I presented it to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He said, "Did you drink your share of the milk last night?" I replied, "O Messenger of Allah! You drink the milk, then I will tell you what happened." The Prophet (ﷺ) drank the milk, then gave it to me. When I realized that you were satisfied, I also drank it. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Now tell me what happened." I narrated the incident before the Prophet (ﷺ). The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "That milk at that time was nothing but mercy. Why did you not tell me earlier so that we could have awakened our companions and they too could have drunk from it?" I said, "When you and I have received this blessing, I do not care who did not get their share."