Sour Grapes, Says Fox

Part One · Sour Grapes, Says Fox

A fox walked down a dusty road in the heat. He was hungry and thirsty.

Over a garden wall hung a vine. On it was a bunch of fat, purple grapes.

"Just what I need!" said the fox. He licked his lips and looked up.

But the grapes were high above his head. He stretched his neck as far as it would go.

So the fox jumped. His teeth went snap, but they closed on air. He tried again and again.

He ran at the wall and jumped high. He fell on his tail.

A crow on the wall watched him. Then it said, "Caw!" in a laughing sort of way.

The fox found a rock and climbed up on it. He jumped, and he jumped, and he jumped.

At last he sat in the dust, tired and sore. The grapes still hung there.

The fox sniffed. "Those grapes are sour, anyway," he said. "I would not want them."

He walked off with his nose in the air. Nobody could tell that he was sad.

The crow flew down and ate one. It was as sweet as honey.