The Fox and the Grapes
여우와 포도
The Story
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One hot afternoon, a fox was walking through a quiet garden.She had not eaten all day, and she was very hungry.
Above her, on a tall vine, hung a bunch of ripe, purple grapes.The grapes looked sweet and juicy in the sunlight.
The fox jumped as high as she could, but she could not reach the grapes.She tried again and again, but every jump ended the same way.
At last, tired and a little embarrassed, the fox stopped jumping.“Those grapes are probably sour anyway,” she said, and walked away.
It is easy to say we do not want something, once we find out we cannot have it.
Full translationTry the story first — open this only to check your understanding.
어느 더운 오후, 여우 한 마리가 조용한 정원을 걷고 있었어요. 하루 종일 아무것도 먹지 못해서 여우는 몹시 배가 고팠어요.
여우 머리 위 높은 덩굴에는 잘 익은 보라색 포도송이가 매달려 있었어요. 포도는 햇빛 속에서 달콤하고 즙이 많아 보였어요.
여우는 있는 힘껏 뛰어올랐지만, 포도에 닿을 수 없었어요. 여우는 몇 번이고 다시 뛰었지만, 결과는 매번 같았어요.
결국 지치고 조금 민망해진 여우는 뛰어오르기를 멈췄어요. "어차피 저 포도는 신 포도일 거야." 여우는 이렇게 말하며 자리를 떠났어요.
가질 수 없다는 걸 알게 되면, 애초에 원하지 않았다고 말하기 쉬워요.
Comprehension Check
1. Why couldn't the fox eat the grapes?
2. What did the fox say about the grapes before leaving?
3. What is the lesson of this fable?
Vocabulary
adjective
ripe
잘 익은
The ripe, purple grapes hung above her.
잘 익은 보라색 포도가 그녀 머리 위에 매달려 있었어요.
Your Summary
In 1–2 sentences, describe what the fox did and how she reacted at the end.
Source: Adapted from Aesop's Fables (public domain, c. 6th century BCE). This retelling and its Korean translation are original text written for SeoJae Story.
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