# The Quarrel - Source: McGuffey's Second Reader (second-reader.gutenberg.org), Public domain, William Holmes McGuffey, 1879, via Project Gutenberg - Reading level: Grades 1 and 2 - Subjects: Stories - Topics: said, first, quarrel, shell, belongs, half - Length: 179 words, about 1 min - Original: - Page: - Open in Sprouts: THE QUARREL. - Under a great tree in the woods, two boys saw a fine, large nut, and both ran to get it. - James got to it first, and picked it up. - "It is mine," said John, "for I was the first to see it." - "No, it is mine" said James, "for I was the first to pick it up." - Thus, they at once began to quarrel about the nut. - As they could not agree whose it should be, they called an older boy, and asked him. - The older boy said, "I will settle this quarrel." - He took the nut, and broke the shell. He then took out the kernel, and divided the shell into two parts, as nearly equal as he could. - "This half of the shell," said he, "belongs to the boy who first saw the nut. - "And this half belongs to the boy who picked it up. - "The kernel of the nut, I shall keep as my pay for settling the quarrel. - "This is the way," said he, laughing, "in which quarrels are very apt to end." ## Picture credits - illustrator not named in this edition, Public domain () - illustrator not named in this edition, Public domain ()