Read these lines from the poem:

(i) One thing led to another

(ii) The start of it was slight

(iii) The end of it was strong

(iv) The afternoon turned black

(v) Thumped me on the back

Discuss with your partner what these lines mean.

(i) In the poem The Quarrel, the kids started to quarrel with one another on a trivial matter. Then they lost focus and moved completely off the topic.

(ii) Like in any case, two siblings started quarreling about petty things. It started as a paltry dispute between the two and was some mild issue.

(iii) What started out as a mere tiff was blown out of proportions by the childish behaviour of the siblings. So the ‘end of it was strong’.

(iv) Due to the quarrel between the two siblings, the mood was glum; and a bad mood made the afternoon seem bleak.

(v) The kid’s brother gave him a goodhearted slight punch on the back. This suggests the camaraderie the two brothers share.