Set against the background of the Mexican-American border, this story is the saga of Aida, a Tarahumara Indian who meets, falls in love, and waits fifty years for the American soldier who promised to return. Miguel Santana offers a tale of four generations of a family whose enterprising sprit and passion for life are matched only by their misfortune in love. The majesty of the Tarahumara mountains, the hardship of the Chihuahuan desert, and everyday life in two cities along the Rio Grande brew in these pages a concoction of magic, metaphor, and unforgettable songs.