Knights as messengers?

spookyboo22

Hi
A lot of tarot readers including John Ballantrae who I admire say that knights are messengers and they bring change.
In all the stuff I've read about knights pages kings and queens in history, the pages delivered messages and the knights were paid by the king or given land to ensure they would fight for the king.
The royal court was packed with young pages delivering messages round and round.
This makes sense to me . Pages are too young to battle.
Why do so many people think knights are the messengers of the deck?
Any thoughts? x
 

Thirteen

Pages = Messanger boy. Knight = King's represenative and voice

HiThe royal court was packed with young pages delivering messages round and round....Why do so many people think knights are the messengers of the deck?
This is one of those too brief meanings that confuse a lot of readers. Like saying "Cups are emotions" and the reader thinks that means Cups is the only suit about emotions and all the other suits are emotion-less. ;)

Pages are *also* messangers. But as you say, they only deliver messages there in the court. They're on foot, right? And their messages are never that important as they haven't any rank yet. So when you think pages, think of kids passing notes to each other in a classroom. Those message are going to be about what's going on at court between courtiers, from invites to dinner to little, encoded "meet me tonight" messages between lovers.

If the King, however, wants to send a message to a neighboring King, he's not going to send a page. This is too important and too far. The other king would be insulted if a low-ranking page on foot showed up. It has to be a knight on horseback. Likewise, if the King wants to send a "Message" to his people about a change in how things are going to be...that gets a Knight as well. You don't send a boy to shout out at, say, an unruly mob that their behavior won't be tolerated. You send a Knight in armor with weapons, and the mob understands that message very clearly.

Finally, if you want to convert someone to your side--if you want to send out the message far and wide about what your kingdom is all about and why people should fight for it rather than some other kingdom...again, you don't send a page. The Knight on horseback not only can go farther afield and is faster, but he makes an impression. He is, in short, the King's represenative rather than a mere messanger. This is why change comes with his message, whereas it doesn't with the Page. The Page is just an "FYI" sort of message. The Knight is: "This is going to make a difference..."

Does that help?
 

spookyboo22

So basically its don't send a boy in to do a mans job
I'm so glad I asked!

Tremendous wisdom there Thirteen. It seems obvious now ...
Thanks very much x
 

Thirteen

So basically its don't send a boy in to do a mans job
I'm so glad I asked!
Nice way to put it! And that's exactly how I'd read it if I was asking the cards how to send someone an important message :D Knights make you sit up and take notice--and like ambassadors arriving on your doorstep, you usually treat them and their messages with respect (however you feel about them) and send back a carefully worded response. Pages...you take the note, give them a tip, and send them on their way, right? :joke:
 

spookyboo22

Right! x
 

diazwoman

wow how enlightening! Thanks!
 

Ace

I see Pages as SENDING messages and Knights as BRINGING them.

barb
 

Thirteen

I see Pages as SENDING messages and Knights as BRINGING them.
That's a cool distinction! You can see the king snapping his fingers: "Page, take this message to the queen." Then see a knight running in, kneeling and saying, "message from the duke, Sire! He needs your help!"

:)