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The Fox and the Grapes – Learn English with Fairy Tales

The Fox and the Grapes The Fox and the Grapes Available in the public domain at: https://www.gutenberg.org One hot summer's day a fox was strolling through an orchard till he came to a bunch of grapes just ripening on a vine which had been trained over a lofty branch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-OTWlNwQpU "Just the thing to quench my thirst," quoth he. Drawing back a few paces, he took a run and a jump, and just missed the bunch. Turning round again with a One, Two, Three, he jumped up, but with no greater success. Again and again he tried after the tempting ...

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About the Author

Dr. Mohammad Hossein Hariri Asl

Dr. Mohammad Hossein Hariri Asl is an English and Persian instructor, educator, researcher, inventor, published author, blogger, SEO expert, website developer, entrepreneur, and the creator of LELB Society. He's got a PhD in TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language).

Number of Posts: 4162

8 thoughts on “The Fox and the Grapes – Learn English with Fairy Tales”

  1. Fox said l,m show that those grapes are sour

    • Thank you for your comment on the Aesop’s fable, the Fox and the Grapes. I shall correct your comment in this way:
      The fox said, “I’m sure that those grapes are sour.”

  2. 1- For me it is very bad thing because I don’t like to do my best for achieving something and
    fail to do that and make excuses by telling myself something like this.
    2- 100% yes
    Soroosh

    • Question 1: As the last resort, it is acceptable to me.
      Question 2: I agree with you. He could try more or use some other smarter ways to access what he desired.

  3. Answer to questions:
    1. Well I have to say maybe this is not always a bad thing to say when you could not get what you wanted. For example we can say that the fox tried his best and maybe it was his fate not to eat the grapes because perhaps they were poisoned.
    2.Yes, but as I said I guess he really tried to reach the grapes because the story said that the fox was thirsty. It was a thing to say to calm his conscience and don’t feel bad about himself.

    • I agree with you, to some extent. However, I should add that physical effort is not the only way to get what you want. Sometimes, we need to “work smarter, and not harder”. If we leave no stone unturned, this type of rationalization could be the last resort to stay calm and happy.
      For instance, I can say he could cajole a bird into throwing the grapes down to him like the story of The Fox and the Crow:
      https://lelb.net/the-fox-and-the-crow-english-fairy-tale/

      • Dr.Hariri, what does it mean to leave no stone unturned?

        • It means to try everything you can to find or achieve something special.
          Do your utmost / try your best

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