翻译得很好。
THE BAKER'S MAGIC WAND
面包师的魔杖
ONCE very long ago in the days when Canada was owned by the French there lived on the banks of a great river a wicked lawyer who was in love with a baker's wife. He tried in various ways to get rid of the baker, but without success. They lived not far from the Seigneur who owned all the land around and was very powerful. Now, in front of the Seigneur's palace there was a great lake of more than twelve thousand acres. One morning the lawyer went to the palace and knocked at the door. When the Seigneur came out, he said to him, "Sire, there is a man not far from here who boasts that in less than twice twenty-four hours he can change this lake into a beautiful meadow covered with grass that would give hay enough for all your horses and would be to the great advantage of the colony." Then the Seigneur said, "Who is this man?" The lawyer answered, "He is no less than the baker who furnishes your household with bread." So the Seigneur said, "I will send for him."
很久很久以前，在加拿大还被法国人统治的时候，一条大河边住着一个坏律师，他和面包师的妻子相爱了。他用尽各种办法想甩掉面包师，但是都没成功。离他们不远的地方，住着拥有整片土地的庄园主，他很有权势。在他的庄园前方，有一面巨大的湖，大概一万多亩。一天早上，律师来到庄园外，敲了敲门。庄园主出来了，他对他说：“大人，离这儿不远的地方住着一个人，他吹牛说在两天之内，就能把这面湖变成美丽的牧场，里面的牧草能喂饱您所有的马，还能给殖民地带来一笔大财。”庄园主听了后问：“这个人是谁？”律师回答：“除了那个给您家做面包的面包师，还能有谁呀。”于是庄园主说：“我得见见他。”
The lawyer went away, and the Seigneur sent a letter to the baker saying that he wanted to see him. The poor baker thought he was to get his pay for the bread he had provided for the Seigneur and all his servants and soldiers. So he was very glad, and went quickly to the palace and knocked at the door. When the Seigneur came out, he asked what was wanted of him. The Seigneur answered that he had heard of his boast that in less than twice twenty-four hours he could change all the lake into a beautiful meadow covered with grass and clover that would feed all the Seigneur's horses and would be a great advantage to the colony. Now, unless within twice twenty-four hours the lake was changed into a meadow, the baker should be hanged before the door of the palace.
律师走后，庄园主给面包师传了封信。信中说他要见他。可怜的面包师以为要叫他去领工钱。庄园主和他所有的仆人、士兵吃的面包可都是他做的呀。他高兴极了，立马来到庄园外，敲了敲门。庄园主出来了，面包师问他有什么吩咐? 庄园主回答说，他听说他吹牛在两天之内，就能把整面湖变成美丽的牧场，里面的牧草能喂饱庄园主所有的马，还能给殖民地带来一笔大财。现在，除非两天后，湖泊变成了牧场，面包师就要在庄园门前被吊死。
Then the Seigneur turned away and the baker went out discouraged, for he did not know what to do. He walked off into the woods and sat down on a log to weep. After a long time an old woman came along and asked what was the matter. He said he was very miserable; he was going to be hanged in twice twenty-four hours; for the Seigneur had commanded him to change all the lake into a meadow, covered with grass and clover, and he was not able to do it. Now, this old woman was a good fairy in disguise and when the baker had done speaking she told him not to be troubled but to go to sleep. She gave him a wand just like a broken stick, which she told him to wave before he slept; it had great power, she said, and while he slept it would bring to pass whatever he desired. So he waved the wand and went to sleep. When he had slept an hour, he was awakened by the smell of hay, and when he looked about him, he saw that the lake was all gone and that there was only a small river that ran through the middle of a beautiful meadow down to the great river not far away. The good fairy was still by his side. She told him to go to the Seigneur and show him what he had done. He went to the palace, and when he came near, he saw the Seigneur looking out of the window at the meadow, and all the men and horses at work making hay. He knocked at the door, and when the Seigneur came downstairs, he asked him if he was satisfied. The Seigneur said he was not satisfied, because the river had been left running through the middle of the meadow. The baker told the Seigneur that the river had been left to provide water for the animals and to help in making hay, because there was so much hay that all the horses in the land could not draw it and it would have to be brought in boats. Then the Seigneur was satisfied and sent the baker away.
说罢庄园主就转身回去了。面包师垂头丧气地离开了，不知道该怎么办。他走进了一片小树林，坐在树桩上，呜呜哭起来。这样过了很久，一位老妇人过来了。她问他发生什么事情了。面包师说，他太不幸了，两天后就要被吊死了。庄园主要他把整面湖都变成牧场，满是绿绿牧草，油油苜蓿。他根本做不到。实际上，这位老妇人是个好心肠的仙女装成的。面包师说完后，她让他别难过了，只管回去睡觉吧。她给了他一根魔杖，看起来就像根破木棍儿。她告诉他睡前挥一挥，这魔杖有神奇的力量，她说，他睡觉时魔杖能实现他的任何愿望。于是面包师就挥一挥魔杖，睡着了。他睡了一个时辰，就嗅着牧草的气味儿醒来了。他左看看，右看看，发现整面湖泊都消失了！只有一条细细的河流，从美丽的牧场中穿过，一直流进不远处那条大河里。好心肠的仙女还在他旁边。她让他去找庄园主，给他看看他办到了。面包师就向庄园走去，快到时，他看见庄园主正看着窗外的牧场呢。所有上工的男人都在收割牧草，晒成干草，所有的马匹都在忙着拉运。面包师敲了敲门，庄园主下楼来了。面包师问他是否满意。庄园主说这样不行，因为还剩下一条河从牧场中央流过。面包师解释道，小河是为了让动物有水喝，让干草运的快——干草太多了，只靠马是运不完的，得用船运。这样一来庄园主就满意了，打发走了面包师。
Soon the wicked lawyer came again, and the Seigneur showed him the meadow and the men and women and horses making hay. The lawyer was much surprised to see all this, but he did not say so. Instead, he told the Seigneur that he had no doubt the baker could do a great deal more than that; the baker, he said, had boasted that he could make a "tiens-bon-la" for the Seigneur that would be worth a great deal more than the meadow and would be a great advantage to the colony. "What is a 'tiens-bon-la'?" asked the Seigneur. "I do not know," answered the lawyer; "but the baker said he could make one." "I will send for him," said the Seigneur. So he sent for the baker, who was just making his bread. When he had put the bread into the oven, he went to the palace and knocked again, and the Seigneur came to the door. The Seigneur said: "I have heard that you boasted that you can make a 'tiens-bon-la' that would be worth more than the meadow and a great advantage to the colony. Now you shall go home and make it, and unless you bring it to me in twice twenty-four hours, you shall be hanged before the palace gate." The baker asked, "What is a 'tiens-bon-la'?" The Seigneur said, "I do not know, but I must have one within twice twenty-four hours." Then he went into his palace again.
很快坏律师又来了。庄园主说瞧——放眼望去是茫茫牧场，男人们和女人们都在收割牧草，晒成干草，马匹们都在忙着托运。律师暗暗吃了一惊，但没说出来。相反，他告诉庄园主，他相信面包师能做的远远比这还多。面包师啊，他说，吹牛说能为庄园主做一个“美-蹦-啦”，比牧场更值钱，能给殖民地带来一笔大财。“‘美-蹦-啦’是什么？”庄园主问。“我不知道，”律师回答，“但是面包师说他能做一个。”“我要见见他。”庄园主说。于是他就派人去叫面包师。面包师正在做面包，他把面包放进烤箱，就来到庄园外，敲了敲门。庄园主打开门，说：“我听说你吹牛说能做一个‘美-蹦-啦’，比牧场更值钱，能给殖民地带来一笔大财。现在，你回家做吧，如果两天后你不能带着‘美-蹦-啦’来见我，你就要在庄园门口被吊死。”面包师问：“什么是‘美-蹦-啦’？”庄园主说：“我不知道。但两天后我一定要有一个。”说罢他又转身回去了。
The poor baker went away more sorrowful than before. He had no idea of what a "tiens-bon-la" was; but yet he knew he should be hanged unless he made one within twice twenty-four hours. He went out into the forest again and sat down on the same log as he had sat on before, and wept as hard as he could. When he had cried himself to sleep, the good old fairy came again and waked him up and asked him what was the matter. He told her that he should certainly be hanged this time, for he had been ordered to make a "tiens-bon-la" for the Seigneur, and he did not know what it was. Then the fairy said, "It is only the wicked lawyer who is in love with your wife and wants to get rid of you. You must do what I tell you and the lawyer will be punished, for we shall make a "tiens-bon-la" that will satisfy the Seigneur. Go to your home and tell your wife that you are commanded to make a 'tiens-bon-la' for the Seigneur and that you have nothing to make it of. Tell her to put two days' provisions in a bag for you, and when she has them all ready, go to your room and take the latch off the window. Then say good-bye to your wife, and walk about the country until it is dark. As soon as you are gone your wife will send for the lawyer and invite him to supper. Before he comes, and after it is dark, you must come back to your house and get in at the window and hide yourself under the bed. Now, the lawyer will not eat without first washing his hands. When he comes, your wife will send him into the room where you are hiding to wash, and when he takes hold of the wash-basin you must cry out, "tiens-bon-la." Take this wand that I will give you and anything you wave it at when you cry 'tiens-bon-la' will hold fast to whatever it is touching." Then she gave him another wand and went her way.
面包师离开了，比以往更难过。他完全不知道“美-蹦-啦”是什么，他只知道如果两天后他没做出来，就要被吊死了。他又走进了小树林，坐在同一根树桩上，放声大哭。他哭着哭着睡着了，那位好心肠的老仙女又来了。她摇醒他，问他发生什么事了。他告诉她这回他一定要被吊死了，庄园主命令他在两天内做一个“美-蹦-啦”，但他都不知道这是什么。仙女听了后说：“这一切都是跟你妻子相爱的坏律师干的，他想甩掉你。你必须照我说的做，律师会受到惩罚的。我们能做一个让庄园主满意的‘美-蹦-啦’。回家告诉你妻子庄园主要你做一个‘美-蹦-啦’，但是你没有材料。让她给你准备一包干粮，足够两天吃的。等她准备好，就去你房间，打开窗子，然后跟你妻子告别，去村子里溜达溜达，直到天黑。你一走你妻子就会去招呼坏律师，请他来吃晚饭。趁着天黑，你必须在他来之前回家，从窗户溜进去，躲在床底下。律师吃饭前一定会洗手，他来了后，你妻子就会带他去你躲的房间洗手。他一碰到洗手盆，你就大喊，“美-蹦-啦”。带上这根我将要给你的魔杖，只要你对着一样东西挥一挥，同时喊“美-蹦-啦”，它就会立马粘到它接触的任何东西上。”然后仙女给了面包师另一根魔杖，就离开了。
The baker did as the fairy had told him, and his wife was very glad to learn that he was going away; and she packed up a large bag of provisions and sent him off. As soon as he was out of the house she sent a note to the lawyer telling him that her husband was gone away for two days and that she would like to have him come to supper. The baker walked around the country until it was dark, and then came back and hid himself under the bed. His wife told the servant to set the table and prepare a nice supper, and then she went to get ready to receive the lawyer. Soon the lawyer arrived. The servant showed him into a room where he might wash his hands after his day's work before he sat down to his meal. The baker was under the bed in the room. There was some water that was not very clean in the wash-basin, and when the lawyer took hold of the basin to throw the water out, the baker, who was under the bed, waved his wand and cried out "tiens-bon-la," and the lawyer's hands stuck to the basin so that he could not let go and the basin stuck to the wash-stand. He called out to the servant to come and help him, but she was busy about the supper and did not hear him. So then he cried out as loud as he could, "Madame, Madame." When the baker's wife heard him, she was dreadfully frightened and ran in to see what was the matter. When she found the lawyer stuck to the wash-stand, which was very large and heavy, she took hold of him with both hands to pull him away. Then her husband cried out from under the bed "tiens-bon-la," and the wife could not let go the lawyer. Then the baker went out and called in some of his friends, and they ate the supper and drank the wine that had been prepared for the lawyer who was stuck to the wash-stand, and the wife who could not let go the lawyer.
面包师照仙女跟他说的做了。他妻子听说他要离开一阵子，高兴极了，给他准备了一大包干粮，就送他出门了。面包师刚出家门，妻子就给律师寄去一张纸条，告诉他她丈夫要出两天远门，她想请他过来吃晚饭。面包师就在村子里溜达，天黑后，悄悄回到家，躲在了床底下。她妻子叫仆人收拾好桌子，准备一顿丰盛的晚餐，自己打扮了打扮，等着律师的到来。很快律师就来了。仆人带着律师去了洗手的房间，律师工作了一天，坐下吃饭前得洗洗手。面包师就在房间里的床底下躲着呢。洗手盆里有些脏水，律师便拿起盆把水倒了，恰在这时，躲在床下的面包师挥一挥魔杖，同时喊“美-蹦-啦！”，说时迟那时快，律师的双手就粘在洗手盆上了，怎么甩也甩不开，洗手盆又粘在了洗手台上。他大喊叫仆人过来帮忙，但仆人正忙着准备晚饭，根本没听见他。所以他只好放声大喊，“夫人，夫人！”面包师的妻子听见后立马赶过来，被眼前的景象惊呆了。她看见律师粘到了又大又笨重的洗手台上，就双手抓住他，使劲儿想把他拉开。这时面包师从床底下大喊“美-蹦-啦！”，于是她妻子粘到了律师身上，怎么甩也甩不开。然后面包师就从床底下出来了，叫上一帮朋友来家里，大吃大喝了原本给律师和他妻子准备的晚餐。那律师现在正粘在洗手台上呢，而他妻子牢牢粘在律师身上。
Then morning came, the baker took the wand that the fairy had given him and told his wife and the lawyer that if they wanted to get loose they must do as he told them. With his wand he loosened the basin from the wash-stand. Then he made them go out into the street, and he started them towards the Seigneur's palace.
天亮了，面包师带上仙女给他的魔杖，告诉他妻子和律师，如果他们想松开，就必须照他说的做。他挥一挥魔杖，把洗手盆和洗手台分开了。然后他押着律师和他妻子上街，去往庄园主的庄园。
As soon as they all came out into the light, the baker saw that there was a hole in his wife's dress, so he pulled some grass and twisted it into a wisp and filled up the hole. Presently they came to a cow that was feeding by the side of the road. There was not much grass there and the cow was hungry, so when she saw the wisp of grass sticking from the woman's dress she began to eat it; but the baker waved his wand and cried "tiens-bon-la" and the cow's teeth stuck in the grass and the grass stuck to the dress. They all went along until they came to a house where there was a large dog on the doorstep. When the dog saw the people, he jumped over the fence to see where they were going. The cow gave him a switch with her tail across the nose, the baker cried "tiens-bon-la," and the dog stuck to the cow's tail and went along with the rest. When the old woman who owned the dog saw him going off in this manner, she was very angry; she called him but he would not come; then she ran out with the broom that she was using to sweep the floor, and began to beat the dog to drive him home. But the baker cried out "tiens-bon-la" again and so the broom stuck to the dog and the old woman could not let go the broom. The old woman's husband was quite lame; he ran after his wife, limping along with a stick. He could not go very fast, but he went as well as he could to see what his old woman was beating the dog for. When he came up, he took hold of the woman's dress to pull her away, but the baker cried out "tiens-bon-la" again and the lame farmer had to go limping along with the others.
他们刚来到明亮的室外，面包师就看见他妻子的裙子破了个洞。于是他就扯了些草，扭成一小捆，补上了洞。就在这时，一头奶牛正沿着小路找食。路边没什么草，奶牛太饿了，于是它一看见妻子裙子上的一捆草就开吃起来。但面包师挥了挥魔杖，大喊“美-蹦-啦！”，奶牛的牙就粘到了草上，草又粘到了裙子上。他们接着走，路过一间房子，门前台阶上坐着一只大狗。大狗一看见人来，就跳过栅栏，看看他们往哪儿走。奶牛的尾巴抽了抽大狗的鼻子，面包师大喊“美-蹦-啦！”，大狗就粘到了奶牛的尾巴上，跟着其他人走。大狗的主人是个老妇，她看见她的狗这样走掉了，十分生气；她招呼它它也不回来；于是她抄上她正扫地的扫帚，就跑出了房子，追着大狗打，赶它回家。但是面包师再一次大喊“美-蹦-啦！”，于是扫帚粘到了大狗身上，老妇粘到了扫帚上，甩也甩不开。老妇的丈夫是个跛子，拄着拐棍儿一路跛行，追赶他妻子。他走不快，但他尽量走快点儿，看看他妻子为什么要一直跟着打狗。他赶上来时，抓住老妇的裙子想把她拉开，但面包师再一次大喊“美-蹦-啦！”，跛子农夫只好一路跛行，跟着其他人一起走。
So they all went to the Seigneur's palace—the lawyer with the heavy wash-basin, the woman holding on to the lawyer, the cow trying to eat the wisp of hay, the dog barking at the cow and sticking to her tail, the old woman with her broom, and the lame farmer limping along with his stick. The baker knocked at the door and when the Seigneur opened it he said: "Oh, my Seigneur, you ordered a 'tiens-bon-la' and I have brought you one, the best that was ever made. If you will be pleased to try it, I hope you will be content." The Seigneur took hold of the basin to take it away from the lawyer, the baker cried "tiens-bon-la" again, and the Seigneur was held to the basin as fast as the others. He tried hard to get away, but the "tiens-bon-la" was good and would not let go.
这样，他们一队人马都到了庄园主的庄园门前——律师粘着洗手盆，面包师的妻子粘着律师，奶牛还在想着吃那捆干草，大狗冲着奶牛汪汪叫，粘在它尾巴上，老妇粘着扫帚，跛子农夫粘着拐棍儿，摇摇晃晃。面包师敲了敲门，庄园主来开门了。他说：“哦，我亲爱的庄园主，您点了一道“美-蹦-啦！”，我给您带来了，世界上最好的“美-蹦-啦”。请您尝尝，我希望您能满意。”庄园主握住洗手盆，想把它和律师分开，面包师再一次大喊“美-蹦-啦！”，立刻，庄园主粘到了洗手盆上，和其他人一样。他使劲儿想甩掉，但是“美-蹦-啦”实在是太牢固啦，怎么甩也甩不开。
"OH, MY SEIGNEUR, YOU ORDERED A 'TIENS-BON-LA' AND I HAVE BROUGHT YOU ONE."
“哦，我亲爱的庄园主，您点了一道‘美-蹦-啦！”，我给您带来了。”
Then the Seigneur asked the baker what he would take to let him off. After a long time the baker said he would let him go if the Seigneur would give a great sum of money every year to himself and to each of his fifteen children. The Seigneur consented, but the baker said he must have a deed made by a notary. So they sent for the notary and the deed was made, and the Seigneur signed it on the wash-basin. The baker waved his wand backwards, the "tiens-bon-la" was broken, and they all went away happy again, and the baker's wife never again deceived her husband.
庄园主只好问面包师，要怎么做他才能放他走。过了很久，面包师回答说，他要庄园主每年都给他和他的十五个孩子一大笔钱。庄园主答应了。但是面包师说一定要找个公证人立张证明。于是他们叫来一个公证人，写了一张证明，庄园主就在洗手盆上给证明签了字。面包师向后挥了挥魔杖，“美-蹦-啦”魔咒解开了，所有人、所有动物都开心的离开了。从那以后，面包师的妻子再也没有欺骗他。
译后记：翻译时不确定make hay的意思。根据维基百科，加拿大为法国殖民地时期推算为 1605~1763。法国探险家萨缪尔·德·尚普兰1603年抵达加拿大，1605年在罗亚尔港建立了第一个欧洲殖民地，1608年在魁北克城建立殖民地。1763年七年战争结束后，依据《巴黎条约》，加拿大和新法兰西的大部分归英国统治。所以这个故事大概发生在17、18世纪。在谷歌搜索“hay 干草”，所有中文网页，获得168,000个hits，搜索“hay 饲草”，获得3,070个hits，由此确定翻译成干草比较多。百度百科里中文名称：干草 英文名称：hay 定义：含水量在17%以下的牧草通称。中华人民共和国农业部颁布的农业行业干草标准规定，干草的含水量为14%。干草是指凡青草（或其他青绿饲料植物），在未结籽实前，刈割下来，经晒干（或其他办法干制）制成。由于干草是由青绿植物制成。在干制后仍然保留一定青绿颜色，故有人又称之为青干草。GRASS在文中为和meadow翻译成“牧场”呼应同时兼顾句子节奏，统一翻译成“牧草”。在free dictionary查询“make hay”，现在的意思是“make hay：To turn to one's advantage: The candidate's opponents made hay of the scandal.”，查询“hay”结果为:
1. Grass or other plants, such as clover or alfalfa, cut and dried for fodder.
2. Slang A trifling amount of money: gets $100 an hour, which isn't hay.
v. hayed, hay·ing, hays
v.intr. To mow and cure grass and herbage for hay.
v.tr. 1. To make (grass) into hay.
2. To feed with hay.
所以推测make hay最初在农业上的意思是收割牧草，把它晒干。在谷歌搜索“make hay 晒干草”，有1470个hits，找到相关资料：我们今天要学的第二个习惯用语是： make hay。 Hay是做饲料用的干草，农民在夏天和秋天得割草并在大太阳下把草晒干，成为金黄的干草，以备整个冬天饲养牛、马、羊等各种牲口。有经验的农民都知道务必趁天气暖和草木茂盛的时候收割青草，然后赶紧在火热的太阳下晒成干草，再马上把干草收进谷仓里面，以免干草受潮，因为潮湿的干草容易霉烂，没法保存一个漫长的冬季，来维持牲畜冬天需要的干饲料。当然这一步步的工作都得抓紧时机及时完成， make hay这个习惯用语最初就是这样产生的。我们来听听是怎么回事：
例句-2："Make hay" is the short version of an old proverb that tells us to "make hey while the sun shines." This is good advice, any farmer knows that he has to do the job in good time for farm animals' winter feed. So it's logical that "make hay" has become an idiom that means to seize an opportunity and make the most of it when it appears."Make hay"这句话原来的形式是“趁太阳好就晒干草”。这是句金玉良言，任何一个农民都知道自己得及时备好干草，作牲畜的冬季饲料。由于这个道理"make hay"这个习惯用语的含义是抓紧时机， 而且一有机会就得好好利用。
所以文章里就都翻译成“晒干草”，有的地方根据句子节奏需要翻译成“收割牧草，晒成干草”。
“tien-bon-la”是个法语词，直译是“你的-美味的-那儿”，所以就音译和意译结合，翻译成“美-蹦-啦”。
这还是第一次翻译整篇文章，大家要多多指教瓦！！！我是群里的菜头。