In this quirky title essay, the exploration of the mythic world of dragons serves as a critical point of inquiry and a confrontation with positivism. However, the perspective on the draconic is also a genuine Doderer perspective: at every corner of our world, he sees figures that grow into the dragon-like. Furthermore, the volume contains everything Doderer had to say about the Gütersloh case over nearly 40 years. Here, Doderer aims to define his own position as a writer. In the following section "On Language and Literature," the central essay "Foundations and Functions of the Novel" serves as the core piece, in which Doderer provides insight into his writing practice. The organizational principle for the novel is not to be gleaned from literary models, but from music. This is compiled under the keyword "Austriaca.".