The Fox and the Grapes
Quick Answer
A hungry fox tries and fails to reach a bunch of grapes. To feel better, he declares they were probably sour anyway—an easy fable about ‘sour grapes’ and honest feelings.
Why This Story Works for Bedtime
Short, simple, and great for gentle reflection: what do we say when we’re disappointed? It helps kids name feelings without shame.
Story at a Glance
RECOMMENDED AGES
4-8 years
READING TIME
2 min
Story Synopsis
A fox strolls through a garden and spots grapes hanging high on a vine—plump, purple, and tempting. He jumps. He runs and leaps again. He stretches and tries and tries, but the grapes stay just out of reach. At last, tired and embarrassed, the fox walks away. To protect his pride, he says the grapes were probably sour and not worth eating. That small moment gave the world a phrase: “sour grapes”—what we say when we pretend we didn’t want something we couldn’t get. For ages 4–8, it’s a classic bedtime fable because it’s quick and invites a calm talk: it’s okay to feel disappointed, and we don’t have to pretend. We can say, “That was hard,” and try again another day.
Story Excerpt
One sunny afternoon, a fox was walking through a garden when he looked up and saw a beautiful bunch of grapes. They were hanging high on a vine, looking plump and purple and ready to eat. “ Mmm, ” the fox thought, “ those look like the sweetest grapes I have ever seen. ” The grapes were hanging from a very high branch. The fox took a few steps back, ran forward, and jumped with all his might. But he could not reach them. He tried again, taking a bigger…
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In One Glance
The Fox and the Grapes is a short fable where a fox cannot reach grapes hanging high on a vine despite repeated jumps. Frustrated, he walks away and claims the grapes were sour anyway. The moral highlights how people sometimes dismiss what they can’t have and encourages honesty about disappointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
A fox can’t reach grapes and pretends he didn’t want them.
Ages 4–8.
Yes—short and reflective.
It’s okay to be disappointed—be honest instead of pretending.