About the The fox and the grapes story
Pounce into a fable where a clever fox learns a valuable lesson about accepting what you can’t have! “The Fox and the Grapes” is the story of a fox who tries to reach some grapes hanging high above. When he can’t reach them, he convinces himself they were probably sour anyway—a lesson in dealing with disappointment.
In this article, you’ll find two versions of the story: the original and a simplified graded reader, perfect for young learners. With questions to help your child build vocabulary and comprehension skills, this fable teaches a timeless lesson.
Want to make learning English even more fun? Explore the Studycat Learn English app, where language learning becomes an exciting adventure.
Let’s leap into the world of The Fox and the Grapes and see how the fox handles his disappointment!
The story of “The Fox and the Grapes”
One hot summer day, a fox was wandering through the forest, feeling very hungry. As he walked along, he spotted a beautiful grapevine hanging over a tree. Its ripe, juicy grapes gleamed in the sunlight, and the fox’s mouth began to water.
“These grapes look delicious!” the fox thought.
“They’re just what I need to satisfy my hunger.”
So the fox trotted over to the grapevine and stood beneath it, ready to grab some of the sweet fruit.
But there was a problem—the grapes were hanging too high up!
No matter how hard he tried, the fox couldn’t reach them.
He jumped as high as he could, stretching out his paws, but the grapes were just out of reach.
The fox wasn’t ready to give up.
He took a few steps back and made a running leap toward the grapes, but he still couldn’t reach them.
He jumped again and again, trying different angles, but it was no use.
Each time he jumped, he missed, and the grapes seemed to get farther away.
Frustrated and exhausted, the fox sat down and looked up at the grapes. They were so close, yet so far. After a few moments, the fox stood up, shook his head, and said, “Those grapes are probably sour anyway!
I wouldn’t want them even if I could reach them.”
With that, the fox turned and walked away, pretending that he didn’t care about the grapes at all.
The moral of “The Fox and the Grapes”
It’s easy to despise what you cannot have.
The fox couldn’t reach the grapes, so instead of admitting defeat, he pretended that he didn’t want them anymore. This fable teaches us about sour grapes, a term used when people pretend they don’t care about something they couldn’t achieve or get. It’s a reminder that we should be honest with ourselves about our disappointments instead of pretending that we don’t care.
Questions about “The Fox and the Grapes”
- What did the fox see hanging from the tree?
- Why couldn’t the fox reach the grapes?
- How did the fox react when he couldn’t get the grapes?
- What did the fox say about the grapes before he left?
- What lesson does this story teach us?
Answers
- The fox saw a grapevine with ripe, juicy grapes hanging from the tree.
- The grapes were hanging too high for the fox to reach, even when he jumped.
- The fox became frustrated after trying many times to get the grapes and failing.
- The fox said, “Those grapes are probably sour anyway!” as he walked away.
- The story teaches us that it’s easy to dislike something when we can’t have it, but it’s important to be honest about our feelings.
Words to learn
- Fox: A clever animal known for being sly. In this story, the fox tries to reach grapes but fails.
- Grapevine: A plant that grows grapes. The fox wanted to eat the grapes from the grapevine.
- Sour: A sharp, unpleasant taste. The fox claimed the grapes were sour to make himself feel better about not being able to reach them.
- Reach: To stretch or extend to get something. The fox couldn’t reach the grapes, no matter how hard he tried.
- Sour grapes: A phrase used when someone pretends they don’t care about something because they couldn’t get it, just like the fox.
What type of story is “The Fox and the Grapes”?
The Fox and the Grapes is a fable, a short story that teaches a moral or lesson, often using animals as characters.
Who wrote the “The Fox and the Grapes”?
The Fox and the Grapes is a fable by Aesop, a famous storyteller from ancient Greece. Learn more about Aesop here.
When was “The Fox and the Grapes” written?
The Fox and the Grapes was written more than 2,500 years ago as part of Aesop’s Fables.
Who are the main characters in “The Fox and the Grapes”?
The main character is the fox, who tries and fails to reach the grapes.
What lesson can we learn from “The Fox and the Grapes”?
We learn that it’s easy to dislike something when we can’t have it, but pretending we don’t care doesn’t help. Being honest about our disappointments is the better approach.
”The Fox and the Grapes” story for young English learners (ages 2-5, Pre-A1 graded reader)
One day, a hungry fox was walking through the forest.
He saw some grapes hanging from a tall vine.
The grapes looked big and juicy.
The fox really wanted to eat them.
The fox jumped up to grab the grapes, but he couldn’t reach them.
He jumped again and again and again, but the grapes were too high.
The fox was tired.
He sat down and looked at the grapes.
“Those grapes are probably sour anyway,” the fox said.
Then the fox walked away, still hungry.
Fun fact!
Did you know? The phrase sour grapes is now commonly used in everyday language to describe someone who says they didn’t want something after they fail to get it—just like the fox!
