A Chinese story— The Fox And The Grapes

A Chinese story— The Fox and the Grapes

Aesop’s Fable “the Fox and the Grapes” is a very interesting and educational children”s story told in China, which is also good for adults. This tale about “sour grapes” will help parents educate their children.

Listen to the whole story.

Yìzhī húli fāxiànle yìkē pútao shù,
一只 狐狸  发现了 一棵  葡萄   树，

The fox found a vine.
Shùshàng zhǎngmǎn le xiāngtián de pútao.
树   上       长    满    了   香  甜    的   葡萄。

The vine had many clusters of delicious grapes.
Húli kànzhe pútao, rěnbúzhù yòng shétou tiǎnzhe zuǐchún,
狐狸 看 着     葡萄，忍 不 住    用     舌头       舔着     嘴唇，

The fox looked at the grapes. He licked his lips with hunger.
Xīn xiǎng: “Wā a ! Shì hǎo shíwù li!”       
心    想：   “哇啊！是 好   食物  哩！”

“Wow! Such good food this is!” he thought.
Tā xiàngshàng tiàole jǐ cì, què zǒngshì gòu bú dào.
它   向     上      跳 了 几次，却   总   是    够  不  到。

But though he jumped and jumped he couldn’t get any.
Fùjìn de xiǎo dòngwù dōu zài xiào húli.
附近  的  小    动   物   都   在   笑   狐狸。

The nearby animals all laughed at the fox.
“Hèng! Zhèxiē pútao hái hěnsuān, bùnéng chī de!”
“哼！  这   些    葡萄    还  很  酸，   不能     吃   的！”

“Hum!” the fox muttered. “These grapes are still too sour to eat!”
Húli dūnang zhe, chuítóusàngqì de huíjiā le.
狐狸   嘟 囔   着，    垂 头 丧 气  地   回家 了。

And so he went home dejectedly.
Zhè jiùshì chī búdào pútao shuō pútao suān de láilì.
这    就是   吃不  到     葡萄  说   葡萄      酸    的 来历。

This is what is meant by the phrase “sour grapes.”
The phrase “吃不到葡萄说葡萄酸 (chī búdào pútao shuō pútao suān)” literally means that when one cannot attain the grapes, they will respond by saying the grapes are too sour to eat anyway. Nowadays, the term is often used by Chinese people to describe someone who lacks the capacity to complete something, defending their inability by saying it is not worth completing.
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