Sour Grapes: Based On A Fable by Aesop

Passage 6
Literature: Name Date

Fable
Sour Grapes
Based on a Fable by Aesop
Why did the fox’s problem make her bitter?
1 Vulpina the fox felt and heard her empty stomach growl. It
2 had been many days since she had caught anything to eat. All
3 the swift field mice outran her, while the clever rabbits stayed
4 stock still and silent deep in the brush. Vulpina couldn’t even
5 manage to steal a plump hen from a farm or drag a delicious
6 duck from a pond. She began to fear that she would soon die
7 of starvation.
8 That night in her hungry wanderings, she stumbled upon a
9 lush garden. She snuck in for a close look and a serious sniff.
10 A sweet and juicy scent made her lightheaded with craving.
11 Following her nose, Vulpina gazed up. There, in the faint light of
12 the moon, she saw a twisty grape vine heavy with purple fruit.
13 Vulpina stared longingly at the bursting bunches, so ripe and
14 ready to be devoured.
15 Vulpina licked her chops and extended her agile body
16 upward. But the grapes hung far beyond her reach. She tried
17 balancing on her hind legs until she lost her footing. But there
18 was still no chance to reach the inviting grapes. So she gathered
19 her strength, inhaled, focused on her goal, and leapt as high
20 into the air as she could. She vaulted and sprang again and
21 again, but even the lowest bunch escaped her grasp.
22 Vulpina thought of other ways to grab the grapes. She tried
23 throwing rocks at the bunches to whack them loose. She tried
24 climbing the twisty vine, but the height made her dizzy. Neither
25 method brought success.
26 Soon Vulpina was too weary to jump or throw or climb any
27 more. In defeat, she hung her tail, turned her back, and slunk
28 out of the garden. “Rot, you miserable grapes!” she cried. “You’re
29 not worth the bother. Who wants to eat sour grapes anyway?”
30 Moral: Speaking ill of what you cannot have makes you sound bitter.
25 Complex Text Passages to Meet the Common Core: Literature and Informational Texts, Grade 4 © 2014 by Scholastic Teaching Resources
1
Passage 6
Literature: Name Date
Fable
Sour Grapes
Answer each question. Give evidence from the fable.
1 Why was Vulpina so hungry?
2 What made the lush garden so inviting to Vulpina?
3 The phrase sour grapes comes from this ancient fable. In your own words, explain what
you think this phrase means.
4 Vulpina licked her chops (line 15) because she was _____________________________________.
tt¶ A. lost tt¶ B. tired tt¶ C. dirty tt¶ D. hungry

Tell how you chose your answer.
5 Which could be another way to state the moral of this fable?
tt¶ A. Honesty is the best policy. tt¶ C. Fools always mock what they cannot get.
tt¶ B. Appearances may be deceiving. tt¶ D. There is always someone worse off than yourself.
What evidence in the text helped you choose your answer?
2
Passage 6 Sour Grapes • page 1
Literature: Fable
Focus This fable from Aesop challenges students to understand Common Core Connections
its moral and navigate both literal and figurative language.
RL.4.1, RL.4.2, RL.4.3, RL.4.4, RL.4.7, RL.4.10
Teaching Tips • RF.4.3, RF.4.4 • W.4.9, W.4.10
• L.4.1, L.4.2, L.4.3, L.4.4, L.4.5, L.4.6
Before Reading
44 Review the characteristics of a fable and its summarizing lesson,
or moral. Complexity Qualitative 1 2 3 4 5
Index
During Reading Meaning i
44 Encourage students to mark unfamiliar words, phrases, or ideas Quantitative: Structure i

to research or discuss later. Have them also highlight examples of Lexile 830 Language i
descriptive language and alliteration. Knowledge i
After Reading
44 Challenge students to develop modern retellings of the fable with a Reader & Task
different main character that faces another frustrating experience
and departs with bitterness. 44 Engage prior knowledge of fables from Aesop
and other cultural traditions.
44 Encourage students to think about the events
of this fable with an eye to understanding the
meaning of its moral.
Answers
Passage 6: Sour Grapes
1. Sample answer: She had been unable to catch
any creatures to eat (lines 1–7). 2. Sample answer:
The juicy grapes looked and smelled so tasty that
she thought they would make a nice meal for her
(lines 9–14). 3. Sample answer: When you can’t
have something you want, your frustration may turn
you against it. You pretend that you don’t care, but
you really do (lines 26–30). 4. D; Sample answer:
I knew that Vulpina was starving when she saw the
grapes, so she licked her chops to show that she was
very eager for food (lines 1–2, 6–7, 10). 5. C;
Sample answer: The tale is not about honesty or
appearances. There might be another worse off
than Vulpina, but C most closely fits the fable
because Vulpina says, “Who wants to eat sour grapes
anyway?” (lines 28–29).
3

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Passage 6

Literature: Name Date

Why did the fox’s problem make her bitter?

1 Why was Vulpina so hungry?

2 What made the lush garden so inviting to Vulpina?

tt¶ A. lost tt¶ B. tired tt¶ C. dirty tt¶ D. hungry

5 Which could be another way to state the moral of this fable?

44 Encourage students to mark unfamiliar words, phrases, or ideas Quantitative: Structure i

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