I have always enjoyed word-play of various sorts. One of my favorite creations is a game I call “Addled Adages”. One takes two famous old sayings, proverbs, aphorisms or some such similar phrases and combines them so that the result is true and poignant but unexpected. The first of these I ever thought of, and the one which starts my collection is “A fool and his money is a friend indeed.” Another of my favorites is “Where there’s a will, there’s death and taxes.”
Here’s a far from comprehensive list:
“A fool and his money is a friend indeed.”
“A bird in the hand makes waste.”
“A penny saved is soon parted”
“A rising tide runs deep”
“A rolling stone waits for no man.”
“Beware of Greeks bearing a dead horse.”
“Children should be seen on the other side of the fence.”
“Cleanliness is only skin deep.”
“Don’t burn your bridges in mid-stream.”
“Don’t look a gift horse at both ends.
“Don’t throw out the baby with spilt milk.”
“Early to bed and early to rise makes Jack a dull boy. ”
“Feint heart never keeps the doctor away.”
“Guests, like dead fish, make strange bedfellows.”
“Loose lips are soon parted.”
“Man does not live by the best policy.”
“People in glass houses should be seen and not heard.”
“The grass is always greener after the horse has left.”
“The road to hell is its own reward.”
“The squeaking wheel is a dangerous thing.”
“Time is the better part of valor.”
“Where there’s a will, there’s death and taxes.”
“You can catch more flies with honey than a big stick.”
“You can’t judge a book before you come to it.”
“You never miss the water in mid-stream.”
“You can’t teach an old dog to tango.”