People can be made to believe any lie because they want to believe it is true, or because they are afraid that it is true.
-- Zedd in Wizards First Rule by Terry Goodkind
Conversely:
"...die beste und sicherste Tarnung ist immer noch die blanke und nackte Wahrheit. Komischerweise. Die glaubt niemand."
-- ?? in Biedermann und die Brandstifter by Max Frisch
(In translation, "The best and most effective lie [camouflage] is still the plain, naked truth. Strangely enough. No-one believes
that." I think this is stated in another page as well.)
Can this be related to the
First rule of magic? -
Never use a spell when a bat will work
See
http://www.btinternet.com/~parallel.universes/goodkind/wizrules.html