This story maintains its value whether fact or fiction.

I think there's a degree of deception involved when you try to pin stories like these to actual people. If you leave out the last line, yes, the story has value. But the fabricated link makes one more likely to dismiss the story as junk.

  Сказка ложь да в ней намек 
  Добрым молодцам урок.

  Tale of sense, if not of truth!
  Food for thought to honest youth.

http://journal.petajinnathandersen.com/2008/03/fairy-tale-fr...

and the misspelled name doesn't help either.

And neither does the incorrect substitution of "tact" for "tack".

As italians say, "se non è vero, è ben trovato". ("Even if it is not true, it is well conceived")