Derived from Fables

lit. a notch on the side of a boat to locate a sword dropped overboard (idiom); fig. an action made pointless by changed circumstances

lit. to guard a tree-stump, waiting for rabbits (idiom)/to wait idly for opportunities/to trust to chance rather than show initiative

lit. to carry firewood to put out a fire (idiom); fig. to make a problem worse by inappropriate action