Fables and Their Lessons
Grade 2 - Reading - Building Confidence
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The Fox and the Sour Grapes
A hungry fox walked through an orchard on a warm afternoon. High on a vine hung a bunch of plump purple grapes. The fox had not eaten since the day before. "Those grapes look sweet," she said, and her stomach growled. She wanted those grapes more than anything.
She jumped, but her jaws snapped shut just below the bunch. Again and again she tried, but the grapes stayed out of reach. She noticed a low branch nearby that might help her climb higher. She scrambled onto the branch and stretched as far as she could. Her paw swiped through empty air just below the grapes.
A rabbit in the bushes had watched her miss every time. The fox did not want to admit that the grapes had beaten her. It was hard to say that she had failed. "I did not want those grapes anyway," she said, and she wrinkled her nose. "They are probably sour."
What lesson does this fable teach?
- Once people catch you lying, they may not believe you when it matters most.
- It is easy to say you do not want something you could not get.
- Slow, steady effort can win over speed and overconfidence.
- Even a small friend can turn out to be very important.
Who is this fable mainly about?
- the fox
- the bees
- the rabbit
- the orchard farmer
What did the fox want at the start of this fable?
- to talk with the rabbit
- to eat the grapes
- to climb the tallest tree
- to find a cool place to rest
What did the fox do about it?
- jumped again and again to reach them
- walked away without trying
- asked the rabbit to pick the grapes
- shook the vine with her tail
Why did the fox act that way?
- because the rabbit told her to
- because she was very hungry
- because she wanted to show off
- because the grapes were already sour
What happened as a result?
- the grapes fell into her paws
- she could not reach the grapes
- the rabbit gave her other fruit
- she ate the grapes
What is different by the end of this fable?
- she ate a bigger meal
- she became friends with the rabbit
- she learned to climb better
- she pretended she never wanted them
Which sentence tells a detail from this fable?
- The fox climbed all the way to the top of the vine.
- The grapes were green and small.
- The fox found a ladder against the vine.
- She noticed a low branch nearby that might help her climb higher.
Which sentence is NOT part of this fable?
- A hungry fox walked through an orchard on a warm afternoon.
- She noticed a low branch nearby that might help her climb higher.
- A rabbit in the bushes had watched her miss every time.
- The fox climbed all the way to the top of the vine.
What does the word "wrinkled" mean in this fable?
- scrunched up in a small way
- bit and chewed again and again
- walked slowly and steadily
- spread out in different directions