Was it a sign of war, or some enchantment?
Carriage after carriage stopped, while its inhabitants attempted to explore the mystery.

But there was nobody about to answer questions.
My host and I, Rashid as well, were fast asleep indoors.

Inquirers looked around them on the ground, and then up at the shuttered house and then at the surrounding olive trees, in one of which they finally espied a nest of bedding on which reclined a blue-robed man asleep.

It was the cook, Amin, who slept there for fresh air.

The firing of the night before had not disturbed him.
By dint of throwing stones they woke him up, and he descended from his tree and stood before them, knuckling his eyes, which were still full of sleep.
They asked: 'What means this portent of the hanging dog ?' He stared incredulously at the object of their wonder, then exclaimed: 'Some enemy has done it, to insult me, while I slept.