which of the following best explains why the fox walks away at the end

Usually when a fox walks away in those old fables or stories, it's just pride talking. I've spent enough time watching nature and animals during my night shifts to know they don't stick around when they realize they can't get what they want. It’s a classic case of sour grapes; if the fox can't reach the prize, it just acts like it never wanted it in the first place to save face.

It’s honestly pretty relatable. Most people do the exact same thing when they fail at something. Instead of admitting defeat or saying they weren't good enough, they just walk off acting like the whole thing wasn't worth their time anyway. It’s a defense mechanism, plain and simple. The fox figures that if it just leaves, it keeps its dignity, even though everyone watching knows what's really going on.