A myth about archers and a salute

 Once again I heard the story that the two-finger gesture started because, in the Middle Ages, French soldiers cut two fingers off captured English archers (or threatened to do that) so they could no longer use a bow. So English archers waved two fingers at the French as a gesture of defiance. It's a myth. The two-finger gesture was first recorded in 1901. It's thought it started in the 19th century but nobody is sure how or why.

But there is no evidence it has anything to do with archery. There is no evidence at all that the French ever cut two fingers off captured English archers or threatened to do that. Why would they? If the French captured an English archer wouldn't it be easier just to kill him? There is, of course, no evidence that English archers ever waved two fingers at the French. Unfortunately, it's an entertaining myth so it tends to get passed around a lot.