Mi-en-leh [Lenin] told a story: I did know two men. They lived in the same house, but in different rooms. The older slept in a comfortable bed, the younger on a leather mattress. Early in the morning the older man would shake the younger one out of a sound sleep, before he was ready to wake up. At table the older man often took away from the younger one the food he liked best. If the younger man wanted a drink, the older man only gave him water or milk, and if he secretly obtained some intoxicating rice-wine the older man scolded him harshly in front of everyone. If he became angry he had to apologize publicly. One morning, I saw the older man riding a horse and driving the younger one before him. One day, I spoke to the older man and asked about his slave. He is not my slave, was the shocked reply. He is the champion and I am training him for the biggest fight. He has hired me to make sure he is fit. It is I who am the slave.
Mi-en-leh spoke: If you want to know, who is master and who is slave, you shall ask who takes better advantage of the situation.
When the plowsmiths with the support of Mi-en-leh had chased out the blacksmiths masters, they were in need of teachers for their workshops. The teachers, with trust in their own indispensability, demanded high concessions. Mi-en-leh, whose food was few and meager – even while he was sick and overworked, used to give this advice to the plowsmiths: Send the best chicken and the freshest milk to this rabble. And he added, silently and looking around foxy: and your most eager despite.

Bertolt Brecht, About the club 2 (Meti – Buch der Wendungen)