One of the New Statesman competitions [in 1969] was to invent aphorisms or proverbs of a self-evident nature, the example being an Ashanti proverb "Do not rub bottoms with a porcupine".

Correspondents came up with the following [a selection only]:

He digs deepest who deepest digs.

He who has the biggest feet will cover the most ground.

A bird in a taxi's worth two in a bus.

If there's no lead in your pencil you don't need a rubber.