Reading and pronunciation practice

Monarch - a person who reigns over a kingdom or empire: such as. a. : a sovereign ruler. b. : a constitutional (see constitutional entry 1 sense 3) king or queen. Forfeit- lose or be deprived of (property or a right or privilege) as a penalty for wrongdoing. translucent - (of a substance) allowing light, but not detailed shapes, to pass through; semi-transparent. Henceforth - from this time onwards Imprudence - a lack of care or thoughtfulness, or a tendency to act without careful consideration. purgatorial - relating to, or suggestive of, purgatory, or serving to cleanse sin distinguishable -clear enough to be recognized or identified as different; discernible. Insolence - rude and disrespectful behaviour. bane - a source of harm or ruin Aggrandise- increase the power, status, or wealth of. radiance - happiness, beauty, or good health that you can see in someone's face

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The Monarch By Paul Cameron Brown She wanted her beauty too soon and must now forfeit it for the moment. One day, when the Earth was a glorious garden and ruled by a brilliant sun flower towering above the plants of her domain, Monarch butterfly, not yet her familiar orange, complained she wished to be large as a bird with petal wings translucent to the sun, folding with the rain. Sunflower, taken back by this unusual demand, sought to humble Monarch. "Henceforth for your imprudence, each one of your race must toil for your wings. No more shall you enjoy fruits without labour. By daring to be mighty you will begin existence as a pale, green egg hardly distinguishable from the lowliest leaf. Moreover, as a reminder of your insolence, you must pass through four purgatorial stages. The bitterest bane of your people will be the bread of the milkweed." "You wish to aggrandise yourself? So be it--you will shed your skin like a snake and hang upside down in stupor for weeks on end. Only then, will I allow you to retain your former excellence." And with that, sunflower drew hard upon her curse and winter formed. She, too, planted seed-eggs across the face of the earth. Her face lost its radiance by fall and her petals cried to the ground. Even today, when people eat of her wealth they devour it with salt. This is in remembrance that, in cursing Monarch, she, too, felt her own wrath, for salt is more bitter than the bane of the milkweed.