'The Fox and the Grapes'

'The Fox and the Grapes', an illustration by John Vernon Lord 

in Aesop's Fables, Jonathan Cape, 1989, page 114.

The Text:

The Fox and the Grapes

Bunches of grapes were hanging from the vines in a vineyard. A fox came across them and was tempted to acquire some. The purple grapes looked delicious and they were perfectly ripe to eat. The fox jumped up and down trying to reach a bunch but failed after many attempts. Finally he gave up and declared that they were probably sour anyway.

Moral: Sour grapes!

Text: JVL (2014)

Selected Parallels: Phaedrus 4/3. Babrius 19. Caxton, Romulus 4/1. La Fontaine 3/2. L’Estrange 129. Chambry 32. Perry 15. Handford 3. TMI J871.