Friedhelm Kemp has called these narratives "Wonderful Detectors for Exploring the Hidden," which Kafka himself mostly referred to as pieces, little pieces, or at best, stories. The edition presented here follows this pattern in its title; however, unlike earlier editions, the short prose is organized according to the presumed dates of creation, rather than by those published during Kafka's lifetime or from his estate. The textual basis is the Critical Edition of the Works of Franz Kafka, which, as far as it is available, follows the manuscripts and, where this is not possible, the most recent authorized versions of the print, without any editorial intervention.