The language in which The prayer of Azariah and the Hymn of the three young men was originally composed remains a topic of debate. Scholars identify either Hebrew or semitized Greek as the probabilities.
Susanna is believed to have been composed in either Greek or Semitic languages. Greek puns found throughout the text add weight to Greek composition yet the books of Daniel and Susanna contain many semitisms lending weight to Semitic origin. Due to the popularity of such story in the ancient world, it is possible that Semitic and Greek writers could have produced separate versions.
Bel and the Dragon was originally composed in Hebrew or Aramaic.
The prayer of Azariah and the Hymn of the three young men is believed to have been composed in the second century B.C. The primary issue of debate in this area calls to question whether the works existed in the pre-Masoretic text of the Hebrew Daniel composition.
Susanna-Scholars agree to a second century B.C. composition.
Bel and the Dragon is also believed to have been composed in the second century B.C.
All works are believed by scholars to have originated in the Mesopotamia area. Susanna, however, is believed to be based upon a more widespread story found in many areas of the middle east.
All were added to Septuagint during the beginning of the Christian era.
The prayer of Azariah and the Hymn of the three young men is added as a unit (with prose passages) after between Daniel 3:23 and Daniel 3:24 (according to Hebrew versification). Susanna and Bel and the Dragon are added to the end of the book of Daniel in most manuscripts of the Greek translation, although their placement does vary.
These additions exist in the Septuagint and have no counterpart in the Hebrew Bible. Most Protestants reject them as canon, the Roman Catholic Church accepts them as canon.
Both Bel and the Dragon and Susanna can be considered prose narratives. The Prayer of Azariah would be just that, a prayer. Song of the three young men is a Hymn of thanksgiving or praise. The prayer and the hymn are also found among the several Odes added to the Psalter in the Septuagint.
The Prayer of Azariah and the Hymn of the Three Young Men-Contain the prayer and hymn uttered by Azariah and his two companions, Hananiah and Mishael, after they had been tossed into the fiery furnace for refusing to worship a gold image set up by the king. God sends an angel to protect them where they are able to pray and sing praises to the Lord for His salvation.
Susanna-is the story of a Jewish woman both beautiful and devout, who is falsely accused by two men who attempted to take advantage of her. Daniel saves her from execution by convicting her accusers through their own testimony.
Bel and the Dragon-This is actually two stories. In Bel, Daniel sets a trap to prove that priests of Bel consumed the food set before the statue of Bel-Marduk instead of the god consuming the food himself. The Dragon tells of how Daniel kills a divine snake. He is thrown into the lions den but not devoured. When he gets hungry, God sends Habakkuk to feed Daniel. When Daniel is released unharmed his enemies are tossed in due to their treachery.