拉羊毛蒙蔽別人的眼睛 / Pull the wool over someone's eyes

英國電訊報 The Daily Telegraph 報導 (Apr 13, 2010):

Cons pull the wool over cops' eyes

兩名犯人從阿根廷一個戒備森嚴的監獄裡逃出, 他們在本地農場偷了羊皮, 偽裝扮成綿羊, 成功地逃避300多名警察捕捉已經有一個多星期。消息人士說，在成千上萬的羊群中, 尋找兩隻假綿羊是非常困難之事。尷尬的監獄發言人無法對此事發表官方評論, 但是一位警方官員暗地裡說: "They can't pull the wool over our eyes forever!!! 他們不能永遠拉羊毛掩蓋我們的眼睛!!!”

(Note: My translation is based on the article from The Dialy Telegraph website at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/argentina/7584289/Argentina-criminals-evade-capture-by-dressing-up-as-sheep.html )

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Reference:

"Pull the wool over your eyes"
(Source: http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/pull-the-wool-over-your-eyes.html )

Meaning
To deceive欺騙, to hoodwink蒙蔽。

Origin
The natural assumption is that this phrase derives from the wearing of woollen wigs, which were fashionable for both men and women in the 16th and 17th centuries. The phrase itself is of 19th century American origin. The earliest available example in print is from the Milwaukee Daily Sentinel And Gazette, October 1839:

"And we ask one question that they dare not firmly answer, whether they are not now making a tolerable attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of the people."

The 'wig' derivation is probably correct but there must be an element of doubt about it as the wearing of wigs had largely died out in the USA by the early 19th century.