A hot noon slid into afternoon. Walking and walking, Lalu the fox was parched to the bone. Then his eyes caught it — bunch upon bunch of ripe grapes on a bamboo trellis, glowing in the sun! His mouth watered. Up above, a little sparrow was pecking away, tuk-tuk.
“Grapes way up there? Nothing for me!” — and with a shake Lalu sprang up. Hup! No luck. His paws clawed the empty air and down he thumped again, dhup, onto the ground. Up above, the sparrow giggled quietly.
Now Lalu backed up and took a run. One jump… another jump… one more jump! Legs stretched, body long — yet the grapes seemed to slip higher still. Sweat rolled off his brow, tup-tap. From above the sparrow called — “Just a little more, brother Lalu! You can do it!”
At last Lalu had no breath left. Panting and panting, he sank down onto the ground. His chest heaved, his tongue lolled out. Far, far above his head the grapes still hung — never once within reach. The evening light dimmed, slowly, slowly.
Lalu stood up. Nose in the air, he announced — “Pff! Those grapes are sour. Who eats sour grapes like that? I wouldn't have anyway!” A light rain began, tip-tip. The sparrow was baffled — “Sour? But they're so sweet!” Lalu turned his face away and walked off.
A few steps on — oh my! On a low branch by a bush, ripe, plump boroi berries. And these were right at Lalu's level! He popped one in — kochmoch! Ah, so sweet, so juicy! The rain stopped and the sun peeked through. The sparrow flew down — “Now that's your real grape, brother Lalu!”
In the firefly-lit evening the two ate boroi till their tummies were full. Thinking of his own antics, Lalu just burst out laughing. Now you tell me — were the grapes really sour, or did they only seem sour because Lalu couldn't reach them? Don't fret over what's out of reach, friend — the real happiness is in what you can.