What is the origin of the idiom "tall story" and when to use it?

The origin of the idiom "tall story" can be traced back to the concept of storytelling and the practice of embellishing or exaggerating details to make a narrative more captivating or entertaining. The idiom refers to a narrative or anecdote that is exaggerated, embellished, or unlikely to be entirely true. It suggests that the story being told is figuratively "tall" or of great height, representing the idea that it stretches the boundaries of believability. The idiom is commonly used to describe a story that may be entertaining but is not entirely factual or realistic.