Take One's Ball And Go Home Meaning

Example : 1978, "House Vote 13," In Common, Vol. 9, p. 52 (Google snippet view):  In 1977 American auto industry leaders threatened to "take their ball and go home" by shutting down production of 1978 models unless they received yet a third delay in meeting the auto emission standards of the Clean Air Act.2008 May 6, Andrew Ross Sorkin, "How Not to Make a Deal," New York Times (retrieved 6 May 2015):  [F]aced with the choice of raising his bid by a dollar or two a share or making a hostile offer, Mr. Ballmer did neither. Instead, he took his ball and went home.