Tikum Kadlum (Black Dog), Book I, tells about the hunting spree of Datu Paiburong, the cutting of the priced buriraw nga kawayan (a yellow-colored variety of bamboo), and the heavy payment demanded by the man-eating monster, Makabagting, from Datu Paiburong for the crashing of his priced burugsak (gold bell). From the mountain of Panay Island, to the cities, this book reaches out to its varied readers in three languages: contemporary Kinaray-a, Filipino (Tagalog), and English.