Fairy Tarot Deck

by
~*~Velvet Angel ~*~

Fairy Tarot

~*~ This deck is suitable for any question you wish to ask of the Tarot. ~*~

Deck by Antonio Lupatelli

These whimsical cards combine the structure of the Tarot with the magical world of the fairies. The images capture the spirit and daily life of these charming forest spirits. The cards are delightful, and the fairies take on the appearance of elves, sprites, and even little gnomes. I find this to be a cute deck, and if not for the nudity that appears on the Judgement card, this would have been a wonderful deck to use in readings for children; however, it's still quite nice for readings about children or for the young-at-heart who wants to take a brief escape into a fairy land of magic and enchantment.

The suit names of this deck are unusual: Cups are named Hearts; Wands are Acorns, Swords are Leaves, and Pentacles are called Bells. The Aces of this deck are interesting, and do perhaps seem out of place in a fairy theme, but they are rather cute nevertheless. Each of the Aces portray an animal: a lamb for Hearts, a rabbit for Bells, a porcupine for Leaves, and a pig for Acorns.

Each Ace includes a Latin motto, and the following is a rough translation of what they mean, along with the card interpretation given in the little fold-out booklet:

Ace of Hearts:"Inflame or incite the mortal heart" -- The great heart represents kindness, great joy, success and fertility; among Fairies the lamb is the symbol of this abundance.
Ace of Acorns:"Goodness discourages evil." -- Acorn is the symbol of the sprite of enterprise and of creativity and of the beginning of undertaking.
Ace of Leaves:"A penny saved is a penny earned." -- The porcupine represents among Fairies the triumph achieved through a growth. This card represents the maximum level that can be obtained in any field, conquest a victory, always keeping in mind the tribulations which were necessary to achieve them.
Ace of Bells:"Discipline is the first priority of the day." -- The little rabbit with a bell is the symbol of a favorable moment, of a great success. His appearance means winning, inheritance and a capital gain.

The little fold-out booklet that comes with this deck offers short interpretations of each card, along with the story of how the deck was created. A small bit of information on the method of divination is included . . . where every reading is "an act of magic."

The card names are noted at the top of each card in English, French, German, and Spanish, while the main language, Italian, is printed at the bottom of each card. This is the fourth deck by Lupatelli who shares a genuine loves of fantasy with his artistic talents. I would recommend this deck to collectors and anyone who collects fairy "treasures." It's also nice for anyone who enjoys the enchantment of something whimsical and different from tradition. I would not recommend this deck to a beginner at all . . . the suit names alone can cause great confusion, but in addition, a lot of the imagery may be misleading to the inexperienced reader.

Number of Cards in Deck: 78 cards (22 Major/56 Minor)

Size of Cards: 2-1/2" x 4-5/8"
Thin and flexible cardstock which makes shuffling easy and comfortable.

Included with deck: LWB (Little White Book) -- although this is actually a little fold-out booklet with 14 panes.
I am not aware of a full-sized book that goes with this deck, although I think it would be nice -- and also quite helpful -- if one were available.

Major Arcana: (Non-traditional titles are highlighted in blue.)
Elf, Magician, High Priestess, Empress, Emperor, Hierophant, Lover, Chariot,
Dryad, Hermit, Oread, Strength, Hanged Man, Death, Sylph, Troll, Tower,
Naiad, Moon, Sun, Judgment, Globe