The charm of Hesse's stories and novellas lies in the fact that these colorful crystals possess the secret of the dew drop: to be a mirror of the infinite even in the smallest particle, describes Hesse biographer Anni Carlsson the narrative work of the poet. Texts like "Kinderseele," "Klein and Wagner," or "Klingsor's Last Summer," as well as his art and love fairy tales, showcase Hesse as a true word musician and prove that his shorter prose is in no way inferior to his world-famous novels. Pleasantly unheroic heroes reflect the entire spectrum of human behavior patterns; conflicts that unfold in seemingly familiar settings extend far beyond the local. In more than 1800 pages and over 120 individual texts spanning five decades, even the seasoned Hesse connoisseur can discover something new. A comprehensive afterword by Volker Michels provides an introduction.