Wizards First Rule

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