"With some hesitation I introduced Brecht to my ailing teacher Arnold Schoenberg. it was in 1942 in Hollywood. There were two reasons for me to hesitate: I did not want my respected and ailing teacher Arnold Schoenberg to be upset by some remark of Brecht's which Brecht could not anticipate; and I also did not want Arnold Schoenberg to make one of his stupid remarks against socialism, which I was used to taking in silence, since he was sick and must not be excited. However I could not demand this of Brecht, for Brecht was in this respect loud, sharp and uncompromising; and I did not want Brecht to be loud, sharp and uncompromising to the sick man Schoenberg.

"Things went better than I expected, though Schoenberg had no idea who Brecht was, and Bredit rejected Schoenberg's music in a manner which a modern composer will think monstrous: "Schoenberg is too melodious for me, too sweet" After an hour's exchange of politeness, Schoenberg related one of his experiences with donkeys. Brecht was delighted, the two had found common ground, Brecht too had experiences with donkeys.

"Schoenberg related: "Once I climbed a cliff, and since I have a weak heart the steep path was very difficult for me. But in front of me there walked a donkey. He did not walk up the steep path, but always in a zigzag left and right of the path, thus compensating for the steepness - So I imitated him and now I can say that I have learned something from a donkey." Brecht made from this a poem in honour of Arnold Schoenberg's seventieth birthday. It will be found among Brecht's papers."