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:
Incolēbant rānunculī duo palūdem, quā per aestātem exsiccātā, relictīs sedibus illīs, pergēbant quaesītum aliās, cumque venissent ad profundum puteum. "Hīc (inquit ūnus) commodē manēbimus, neque facile alium locum meliōrem invenīre poterimus. Cui rēspondit alter placēre et sibi locum, sed arbitrārī sē, priusquam illō dēsilīrent, cōnsīderandum, sī quō casū et illae aquae recessissent, quā ratiōne dē puteō reditūrī essent.
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):
Incolébant ranúnculi duo palúdem, qua per aestátem exsiccáta, relíctis sédibus illis, pergébant quaesítum álias, cumque veníssent ad profúndum púteum. "Hic (inquit unus) cómmode manébimus, neque fácile álium locum meliórem inveníre potérimus. Cui respóndit alter placére et sibi locum, sed arbitrári se, priúsquam illo desilírent, considerándum, si quo casu et illae aquae recessíssent, qua ratióne de púteo reditúri essent.
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:
Incolebant ranunculi duo
paludem,
qua per asetatem exsiccata,
relictis sedibus illis,
pergebant quaesitum alias,
cumque venissent
ad profundum puteum.
"Hic (inquit unus)
commode manebimus,
neque facile
alium locum meliorem
invenire poterimus.
Cui respondit alter
placere et sibi locum,
sed arbitrari se,
priusquam illo desilirent,
considerandum,
si quo casu
et illae aquae recessissent,
qua ratione
de puteo redituri essent.
IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) showing a frog way down in a well!
