Some two hundred years ago, two small burros were taken from the poorest village in Mexico to carry heavy silver bars from the deep mine at the foot of the mountain to the King of Spain's ship, waiting at the harbor of Mazatlan. It was a long, hard, and dangerous trip, and along the way waited a bandit. When the bandit attacks the mule train, the little burros escape, and their escape saves the starving villagers of Topo-el-Bampo.

From the reviews:

"How two donkeys help Topo el Bampo, the poorest village in Mexico, to become the richest village is told with restraint and grace in a story which ...is warmly satisfying."

ALA Booklist

"The narrative ... has a folkstory-like quality and moves swiftly along in uncomplicated sentences; it is direct in its telling and interspersed with bits of humor. Although the donkeys occupy the center of attention, the characters--children, mayor, village priest, owners of the silver mine--are remarkably well delineated despite the brevity of their appearance. And terrain, story, and characters are all superbly served by Lynd Ward's paintings. ... Both story and pictures are perfectly compatible in their combination of seriousness and joy."

Horn Book

"a gentle, loving story which will delight younger readers with its unexpected and gratifying turn of events."

Publishers Weekly