Beautifully explained. The classic image in my mind's eye is of a 
country person at a travelling carnival being cheated by the men running 
the games that are part of the carnival. It's American rather than 
British English.

Kevin Wayne Williams wrote:
> Musashi wrote:
> 
> 
>>
>> What exactly is a "rube" please?
> 
> 
> An unsophisticated person. It is commonly used to refer to people that 
> are tricked by swindlers and con-men, and to people from rural settings 
> that are unable to deal well with urban settings.
> 
> KWW