Speaking of "Cock and Bull" story, I wonder where the expression comes from? Obviously rural.

Could it be that cocks and bulls are the males of the species--and that the male of any species is notorious for wild outrageous exaggerations? They talk about Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox (male) and never a word about Mrs. Bunyan and her cow. Not to mention Pecos Bill...

So it must be an expression indicating that the story being told is about as believable as the kind told by the guys down at the pub after lifting a few.