"The Fox and the Grapes"

"The Fox and the Grapes" is a classic Aesop's fable illustrating cognitive dissonance. In the story, a fox tries to reach some hanging grapes but cannot. Instead of admitting they are out of reach or that he cannot have them, the fox dismisses the grapes as undesirable, saying they are probably sour anyway. This reflects how people often rationalize failure or unachievable desires by devaluing the object to protect their self-esteem. The story highlights how individuals may adjust their perceptions to cope with disappointment, rationalizing that what they cannot attain is not worth having.