This is fable 68 Hervieux's edition. Although this fable is not in the Aesopic corpus, the motif of mocking the donkey's musical ambitions is very much an Aesopic tradition.
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:
Leo, rex animālium, semel quaesīvit sibi ministrōs, ut servīrent eī in dīversīs officiīs. Ingessit sē Asinus, dīcēns quod optimē scīret cantāre et lallāre. Dīxit Leo: Audiāmus. Et Asinus aperuit ōs suum et horribiliter recanāvit. Et ait Leo: Miser, quārē mentītus es, cum sonus tuus horribilis sit? Potius mē ā somnō excitāret quam dormīre faceret. Exeās cito dē cūriā meā!
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):
Leo, rex animálium, semel quaesívit sibi minístros, ut servírent ei in divérsis offíciis. Ingéssit se Ásinus, dicens quod óptime sciret cantáre et lalláre. Dixit Leo: Audiámus. Et Ásinus apéruit os suum et horribíliter recanávit. Et ait Leo: Miser, quare mentítus es, cum sonus tuus horríbilis sit? Pótius me a somno excitáret quam dormíre fáceret. Éxeas cito de cúria mea!
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:
Leo, rex animalium,
semel quaesivit sibi ministros,
ut servirent ei in diversis officiis.
Ingessit se
Asinus, dicens
quod optime sciret
cantare et lallare.
Dixit Leo: Audiamus.
Et Asinus aperuit os suum
et horribiliter recanavit.
Et ait Leo: Miser,
quare mentitus es,
cum sonus tuus horribilis sit?
Potius me a somno excitaret
quam dormire faceret.
Exeas cito de curia mea!
IMAGE. Here is an illustration for the story (image source) that shows a braying donkey:
