It's a proverb, they don't always make sense. Unfortunately it also means that people don't sometimes get the point. For example, I was looking for a good translation to this particular proverb and found a forum where someone complained about it because "doesn't that mean that if I insult Africans then *magical sound* I become a nigger?" ...No. That's not what it means.
I mean the point basically is "the one that screams in pain is the one that is in pain" kinda dealie. Why was someone throwing around sticks or firewood? It's not clear. Maybe the dogs were barking in the night and the owner wanted to shut 'em up?