This is fable 1 in Hervieux's edition. This is not a fable in the classical Aesopic corpus, but it has a great deal in common with the fable of the doves who made the hawk their king (Perry 486).
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:
Volucrēs celēbrāvērunt cōnsilium, ut ēligerent sibi rēgem. Dīxitque ūna: Ēligāmus Columbam quae animal simplex est, quia nec picat, nec laniat, nec dēvorat. Fēcērunt autem sīc. Columba vērō simpliciter inter pullōs suōs conversābātur. Dīxērunt Volucrēs: Rex noster nihil valet, quia nec percutit, nec laniat. Dēpōnāmus eum et ēligāmus Milvum. Et factum est ita. Milvus vērō, cōnstitūtus rex, ūnō diē cum rōstrō suō et unguibus laniāvit ūnum pullum et dēvorāvit, posteā alium et tertium, et cētera.
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):
Vólucres celebravérunt consílium, ut elígerent sibi regem. Dixítque una: Eligámus Colúmbam quae ánimal simplex est, quia nec picat, nec lániat, nec dévorat. Fecérunt autem sic. Colúmba vero simplíciter inter pullos suos conversabátur. Dixérunt Vólucres: Rex noster nihil valet, quia nec pércutit, nec lániat. Deponámus eum et eligámus Milvum. Et factum est ita. Milvus vero, constitútus rex, uno die cum rostro suo et únguibus laniávit unum pullum et devorávit, póstea álium et tértium, et cétera.
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:
Volucres celebraverunt consilium,
ut eligerent sibi regem.
Dixitque una:
Eligamus Columbam
quae animal simplex est,
quia nec picat,
nec laniat,
nec devorat.
Fecerunt autem sic.
Columba vero
simpliciter
inter pullos suos conversabatur.
Dixerunt Volucres:
Rex noster nihil valet,
quia nec percutit, nec laniat.
Deponamus eum
et eligamus Milvum.
Et factum est ita.
Milvus vero, constitutus rex,
uno die
cum rostro suo et unguibus
laniavit unum pullum et devoravit,
postea alium et tertium, et cetera.
IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) showing a hawk with its prey, this time a rat, in its claws:
