Well, now......here's something I never knew before, and now that I know it,
I feel compelled to send it on to my more intelligent friends in the hope that they, too, will feel edified.
Isn't history more fun when you know something about it ?

Before the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, the French, anticipating victory over the English,
proposed to cut off the middle finger of all captured English soldiers.
Without the middle finger it would be impossible to draw the renowned
English longbow and therefore they would be incapable of fighting in the future.
This famous English longbow was made of the native English Yew tree,
and the act of drawing the longbow was known as "plucking the yew" (or "pluck yew").

Much to the bewilderment of the French, the English won a major upset and began mocking the French by
waving their middle fingers at the defeated French, saying, See, we can still pluck yew!

Since 'pluck yew' is rather difficult to say, the difficult consonant cluster at the beginning has gradually changed to a labiodentals fricative F',
and thus the words often used in conjunction with the one-finger-salute!

It is also because of the pheasant feathers on the arrows used with the longbow that the symbolic gesture is known as "giving the bird."

IT IS STILL AN APPROPRIATE SALUTE TO THE FRENCH TODAY!

And yew thought yew knew every plucking thing!

Damnnn......that a good one ....sure learn something today...

oo.. i didnt know that.. nice..

oh so thats how it all started. good to know

Yea good piece of history. Didn't know that!

I was told that it was actually the two finger salute (peace salute reversed) that originated here. By cutting off the two strongest fingers, they couldn't draw their bows.

As most Brits know, two fingers is 'F-U', one means 'up yours'. People tell me that outside the UK and France, two fingers isn't really insulting

I heard two fingers also meant 'stick it up your arse'. Dunno why though

that's interesting - I'd noticed that - not made the connection

it's one of those stories that's so good even if it's not true it's worth repeating!!

You're right Prince it was the two fingers salute made famous by the english archers.

Nice lateral thinking though

Nice one mann aha made me laugh out loud...