Erased by Time In 1619 twenty Africans stepped foot on American soil. They came not as slaves, but as indentured servants. They knew if they could hold on and finish out their sentences, they would be free. They came with dreams of the future and a vision of life as good as any other person's, black or white. Who were these people? How did they get here? What happened to them? Much of the information about them -- even their names -- has been lost. Stories about them are incomplete, and facts are blurred by centuries of neglect. But their stories are worth knowing and keeping and sharing, for they are a part of the American saga. This is their story.

"Hayes's flowing plot, enlivened by several wry twists, is decidedly satisfying. Fiedler's spare, earth-toned paintings convey the particulars of the setting from traditional garb to the sprawling landscapes as well as the timelessness of folklore."--"Publishers Weekly"

Don Ignacio is a wealthy landowner whose prized possession is an apple tree that produces the most delicious fruit around. He trusts only one man to care for this tree--his ranch foreman Juan Verdades. Don Ignacio is also a proud man and he lets his pride carry him into a dangerous bet He bets a neighboring rancher his ranch that Juan Verdades cannot tell a lie. His opponent is determined to win the bet, using guile and the help of his beautiful daughter to trick Juan Verdades into stealing all of the fruit from the prized apple tree. Will Juan Verdades be able to tell the truth about what he has done? The ranch depends on it.

Originally published in 2001, this paperback edition of Joe Hayes' classic story features the bilingual style common to his most popular books. Joe's bilingual Spanish-English tellings and books have earned him a distinctive place among America's storytellers. He lives in Santa Fe and travels extensively throughout the United States telling his stories.

Joseph Daniel Fiedler was born and raised in the Appalachian hill country of western Pennsylvania. He attended the Ivy School of Professional Art and Carnegie Mellon University. He is the recipient of a silver medal from the Society of Illustrators for book illustration.