HudsonGray
Such a wise old owl of a cat. The first two cats in the deck are both tortoishells, potentially females in the role of a male figure, though this Persian male really is a male in real life. He sure looks like a great horned owl too, including the beak.
He stands in front of steps going back to a fenced off chamber, flanked by heavy curtains. Does the High Priestess reside behind there? You need to unlock the doors first to get to her? She herself is outside, in the open at sunset, but flanked by pillars (the Temple of Solomon had their holy area outdoors, you reached it through the building & past the paired columns). Well, he can't get into the back chamber yet, the ironwork is barring him from that area. (Similar ironwork is on the Hierophant card too--did you notice?) So he performs his magic in front of the chamber and puts on his own show.
Appearance is everything! He's dressed to the gills with velvet, silk and brochade. His fancy tools are all laid out & he has his golden flowers raised high--but can you see his fingers? Like all true magicians he's great at sleight of hand and can make you see what you think you see, not what is necessarily reality. He's there for the show, to give you your money's worth. You're paying for this, right?
The mask, it's on the table but he can put it on at a moment's notice, it's designed to go with his fluffy fur and blend right in, hiding his identity yet still be himself behind it. See the spectacles outlining the eyeholes? See his own fur spectacles? Is he making a spectacle of himself? We should look to see if we're getting a song and dance out of him. Those black and gold fish tablelegs sure look like they're giving us a belly dance shimmy. Enjoy the show! It's all a game after all, see the checkerboard on the table? Pay attention or you'll be checkmated before you know it.
He stands in front of steps going back to a fenced off chamber, flanked by heavy curtains. Does the High Priestess reside behind there? You need to unlock the doors first to get to her? She herself is outside, in the open at sunset, but flanked by pillars (the Temple of Solomon had their holy area outdoors, you reached it through the building & past the paired columns). Well, he can't get into the back chamber yet, the ironwork is barring him from that area. (Similar ironwork is on the Hierophant card too--did you notice?) So he performs his magic in front of the chamber and puts on his own show.
Appearance is everything! He's dressed to the gills with velvet, silk and brochade. His fancy tools are all laid out & he has his golden flowers raised high--but can you see his fingers? Like all true magicians he's great at sleight of hand and can make you see what you think you see, not what is necessarily reality. He's there for the show, to give you your money's worth. You're paying for this, right?
The mask, it's on the table but he can put it on at a moment's notice, it's designed to go with his fluffy fur and blend right in, hiding his identity yet still be himself behind it. See the spectacles outlining the eyeholes? See his own fur spectacles? Is he making a spectacle of himself? We should look to see if we're getting a song and dance out of him. Those black and gold fish tablelegs sure look like they're giving us a belly dance shimmy. Enjoy the show! It's all a game after all, see the checkerboard on the table? Pay attention or you'll be checkmated before you know it.