100个儿童英语小故事: The Fox Trapped in the Vineyard 狐狸被困在葡萄园

（单词翻译）

082 The Fox Trapped in the Vineyard

It was a sunny summer day. A fox was passing by a vineyard. Looking at the ripe grapes, the fox exclaimed, 'How delicious they must be!' The fox really wanted to taste the grapes.

So, the fox tried to go over the fence, but it was too high for him. Looking around, he found a small hole in the corner. "Ha, ha, ha! Thank God! I can go through the hole and eat as many grapes as I want!"

The fox put his head in the hole but his stomach was too big. "Ouch! Why didn't they make a larger hole?" complained the fox.

'Why don't I starve myself for a few days. Then, my stomach will become slim enough for me to go through the hole.' Dreaming of eating delicious grapes, the fox starved for three days. The fox's stomach really became slim. "Well, I'd better go quickly into the vineyard!" he said.

The fox put his body through the hold in the fence. With such a slim stomach, the fox was able to easily pass through the hole. After getting inside the vineyard, the fox jumped up and down with joy. 'I am so clever.'

.

The fox madly picked and ate the grapes from a vine in full bloom. "Umm! How tasty!"

Walking by the vineyard, a bear spotted¹ the fox eating delicious grapes. "Fox! Fox!" called out the bear. "What's up?" carelessly replied the fox, as he was concentrating on eating grapes. "Can you give me some grapes? I am so hungry," begged the bear.

There were a lot of grapes left in the vineyard. However, the fox did not want to share the grapes. "No! I will eat them all. I starved for three days to get at these grapes."

The bear reluctantly walked away. The fox snorted at the bear. 'Hmm! Trying to eat grapes with just a word?'

The fox ate grapes until his stomach became swollen². 'I am too full. I cannot eat any more. I had better go home and take a nap.'

The fox put his head in the hole. But, what happened? His stomach is too bulky for him to get outside. "Yelp³, yelp! Let's use all my strength." The fox exerted all his power from his body, but it was no use.

The fox had no choice but to starve for three days. And, he could come out of the hole only after his stomach had gotten slim. "Oh, my! I'm so hungry." The fox held his growling⁴ stomach and went back home. Watching this, the bear and other animals laughed at the greedy fox.