Martin Nezval

Two hilarious short stories set in the milieu of apprentice youth, depicting the amorous travails of teenage boys. In the first story, "The Sorrows of the Devil's Apprentice", we see a talkative storekeeper who is constantly advising his charges on how they should behave, unaware that one of the young men has fallen in love with his daughter. Overcoming shyness is also depicted in the second of the stories, entitled "May I Beg, Helen?"

A report is fabricated accusing a successful businessman, Patrik Grossmann, of racism. When the media launches a full-blown campaign against him, the atmosphere gets so thick that anyone can kick him while he's down just to prove their morality.