There is a great myth / story told by Robert Wuhl in "Assume the Position 201" on HBO, a documentary about history told to a college class. the section was Truths and Myths.
I am horribly paraphrasing,so forgive me: Turns out that when the English archers taunted the French across the battle field, that gave them the middle finger, indicating that even though their provisions were low, they were stlll free to rain down holy hell on top of them. Still able to "pluck" the strings, and "pluck" you. And of course the French misinterpreted what they heard and it turned into the words we know today.
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And then Wuhl went and popped everyone's bubble by stating he had made that all up, as an example of how great spin doctors can change history and make things sound plausible and believable but still disinformation. And then Wuhl compared it to the stories of the news of today. It was great.