The Fox and the Grapes

Name: The Fox and the Grapes
Author: Aesop

Aesop A2 Fable Classic

A free A2-level English story for language learners, readable online in 7 languages, with an option to listen via the free Storyteller app.

Level: A2
Genres: Fable, Classic
Reading time: 1 min
Languages available: EN, VI, ES, ZH, PT, HI, ID

A thirsty fox spots a tempting bunch of grapes just out of reach — and tries again and again before giving up.

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One warm summer day, a Fox was walking through an orchard. He came to a bunch of grapes ripening high on a vine.

"Just the thing to quench my thirst," he said.

Backing up a few paces, he took a run and a jump at the grapes, but missed. Turning round again, he ran faster and leaped once more. Still he could not reach them.

Again and again he tried, but at last he had to give up. He walked away with his nose in the air, saying, "I am sure they are sour anyway."

It is easy to hate what you cannot have.

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What does the fox want to reach?
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Answer: A bunch of grapes
The fox sees grapes ripening high on a vine and wants to eat them to quench his thirst.
What does the fox do after failing to reach the grapes?
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Answer: He walks away and says the grapes are sour
After trying again and again, he gives up and claims the grapes must be sour anyway.
What is the lesson of the story?
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Answer: It is easy to hate what you cannot have
The story ends with the moral that it's easy to despise what is out of your reach.

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