The Delicate Prey

"The Delicate Prey" is a piece of short fiction by Paul Bowles. It was written in 1949 and first published in Paris in the summer 1949 issue of the small literary journal Zero. In 1950, Random House presented the story in the collection of Bowles's short fiction, The Delicate Prey and Other Stories. This short story is considered one of Bowles' most outstanding and controversial works of fiction.

"The Delicate Prey" was declined for inclusion by the British John Lehmann publishers in its collection of Bowles's works A Little Stone in 1950. It would not be printed in Britain until 1968 due to censorship issues.