For help in reading the story, try pasting the unmarked text into NoDictionaries.com (see more tips here).
READ OUT LOUD. Choose which marked text you prefer to practice with - macrons or accent marks - and read the text out loud until you feel comfortable and confident. Then, try reading the unmarked text at the bottom. It should be easy for you after practicing with the marked texts. :-)
MACRONS. Here is the text with macrons:
Mūrēs aliquandō habuērunt cōnsilium, quōmodō a fēle cavērent. Multīs aliīs prōpositīs, omnibus placuit, ut eī tintinnābulum annecterētur: sic enim ipsōs, sonitū admonitōs, eam fugere posse. Sed cum iam inter mūres quaererētur, quī fēlī tintinnābulum annecteret, nēmō repertus est.
ACCENT MARKS. Here is the text with ecclesiastical accents, plus some color-coding for the words of three or more syllables (blue: penultimate stress; red: antepenultimate stress):
Mures aliquándo habuérunt consílium, quómodo a fele cavérent. Multis áliis propósitis, ómnibus plácuit, ut ei tintinnábulum annecterétur: sic enim ipsos, sónitu admónitos, eam fúgere posse. Sed cum iam inter mures quaererétur, qui feli tintinnábulum annécteret, nemo repértus est.
UNMARKED TEXT. Here is the unmarked text - after practicing with the marked text that you prefer, you should not have any trouble with the unmarked text:
Mures aliquando
habuerunt consilium,
quomodo a fele caverent.
Multis aliis propositis,
omnibus placuit,
ut ei tintinnabulum annecteretur:
sic enim ipsos,
sonitu admonitos,
eam fugere posse.
Sed
cum iam inter mures quaereretur,
qui feli tintinnabulum annecteret,
nemo repertus est.
IMAGE. For an image to accompany the story, here is Barlow's depiction of the cat, and the mice, and - if you look closely enough - the bell! (It's there where the mice are scurrying about.)
