CLOSE, BUT NOT QUITE ACCURATE, SCUBA LADY:
THE "100 YEARS" WAR BETWEEN ENGLAND AND FRANCE WAS FOUGHT BY OPPOSING NOBILITY, WHO THEN CONSCRIPTED THEIR SERFS AND PEASANTS TO JOIN THEIR ARMIES.
THERE WOULD OFTEN BE MANY YEARS BETWEEN MAJOR BATTLES, AND THE NOBLES REALIZED THE NEED FOR THEIR LANDS TO BE TENDED, SO INSTEAD OF KILLING CAPTIVES, THE PRACTICE OF CUTTING OF THE 1ST AND SECOND FINGERS WAS ADOPTED, AS A LONGBOW IS DRAWN WITH 2 FINGERS, ONE ABOVE AND ONE BELOW THE NOCK, OR SLOT IN THE END OF THE ARROW....THIS IS WHY IN ENGLAND, THE EQUIVALENT OF GIVING THE MIDDLE FINGER, IS IN FACT GIVING A V SIGN, WITH 1ST AND 2ND FINGERS, THUS SHOWING THE STINKING GARLIC BREATHED BICYCLE RIDING BERET WEARING FOGGY BASTARDS AND THEIR HAIRY ARMPITED WOMEN FOLK (SORRY , GOT A BIT HOMESICK FOR OLE ENGLAND FOR A MINUTE) THAT THEY (WERE BACK TO THE PEASANTS) COULD STILL DRAW A BOWSTRING.
TRUST ME ON THIS ONE…I'VE HATED THE FRENCH SINCE 8TH GRADE WHEN I WAS FORCED TO LEARN THE LANGUAGE OF SURRENDER FROM A MINCING LITTLE SOP IN A BOWTIE