And (while this may be a myth, it’s still a good story) the longbow required 2-3 fingers to draw back, so when the French would capture English soldiers they would cut of their index and middle finger.

This resulted in the English raising these two fingers in a V sign to the French to show that they hadn’t been captured and could keep fighting them.

We still use this V sign (with the back of the hand facing out) as an obscene gesture today, much as the Americans use the middle finger.

I’ve always needed this to be true.