The Fox & The Grapes Story | Grapes Are Sour | English

Story #1:

“The grapes are sour” is a well-known proverb. There is a famous story to illustrate the truth of this proverb.

It was a very hot day in summer. A fox was very hungry. He did not get anything to eat. He wandered here and there in search of food but could not succeed. At last, he went to an orchard. He saw there ripe grapes hanging from a grapevine. He thought that he would get something to eat from there.

His mouth began to water at the thought of delicious and juicy grapes. He jumped to get the grapes but could not reach them. He jumped again and again but could not succeed in getting the grapes. The grapes were too high for him.

At last, he was disappointed and gave up the attempt. He left the orchard sadly. To keep up appearances and to console his sad heart, he said. “The grapes are unripe and sour and are not worth-eating.” I do not like them. Saying so he went away.

Moral: 

• Grapes are sour.
• People pretend to dislike what they cannot get.

Story #2:

“Grapes are sour” is a phrase often used by an individual who has been frustrated at not having a much-desired thing or object despite attempts. As a result, he feels restless and tries to console himself to lessen his feelings of disappointment and annoyance and cure his smarting ego by giving different reasons. This all occurs in response to frustration caused by his failure.

Once, a fox went about in search of food. He roamed around here and there reached a garden. There he saw a grape-vine laden with bunches of grapes. They looked quite ripe and juicy. His mouth watered as he gazed at them. But those bunches were too high for him to reach. The fox had jump for them. He tried but could not succeed. He jumped as high he could, to get at the grapes but failed to reach them. He made another vigorous attempt, but was still unlucky. Then he walked off a short distance and took a running leap at them, only to fall short once more. In vain, he wore himself out by trying again and again.

Now he sat down and looked at the grapes in disgust. After several failed attempts to reach the grapes, the fox realized he could never get them. The fox looked at the grapes with longing eyes. At last, he left the garden with a heavy heart. He turned his nose up and consoled himself by thinking that those grapes must be sour and not worth eating at all. And off he walked, very scornfully.

We often indulge in self-deception and insist that the things we cannot achieve are not worth-having and blame others for our own shortcoming and inadequacy rather than admitting defeat.

Morals: 

• Grapes are sour
• It’s easy to despise what you cannot have.
• Nothing comes easy without hard work.
• There are many who pretend to despise and belittle that which is beyond their reach.