Magical Forest - The Fool

karen0205

I haven't participated in a study group before so I"m not sure how to go about this but we can wing it! As long as we learn about the deck that's what we're here for.

The first part of the LWB for the Magical Forest deck talks about an enchanted forest and how the animals there had human voices and virtues. These creatures were discovered centuries ago and their stories were told in fairy tales and fables. It is considered a fantasy world where there is always an animal who offers advice, remind us of someone, a wise tree, etc. This tells me that we need to look at every thing in the illustrations and see what else is there that we might overlook.

In the middle of the Magical Forest is a Sacred Tree where the animals come to for advice, etc. There is a Sacred Tree spread included with this deck.


0 - The Fool

The infinitive attracts zero: Dreamy Little Pig sets out, urged onward by his own nature and instinct. "I'm setting out to seek my fortune," he told his mother when he left home and embarked on the great adventure of his life. He follows his own dream, and for this reason he looks up towards the sky and pays no attention to where he places his feet.
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"The infinitive attracts zero." I would assume this is a translation error, infinitive is a part of speech, not a noun or verb. Maybe it is infinity or infinite that is meant here. That would make more sense to me. What would the zero be?

The little pig is up in the warm sunlight. Below appears dark and cold. The Sun in front of the Pig is opposite of traditional cards where the sun is behind the Fool. The sun being behind the fool represents the fool heading in the Northwest direction which is supposed to be the unknown. This pig is heading into the sunlight while he's about to fall off a cliff.

He's holding a white rose, traditional but it's supposed to mean that he's free from animal desires but what does that mean when it's an animal holding it?


It's interesting to me that his little dog is a toy dog. It's the only card that has a toy shown in it or any animal that has wheels for legs. Is this because the Pig is not really taking along a real friend but an imaginary friend? Maybe he's not responsible enough for a real pet? The dog looks kind of strange. It looks like it's scared.

What does anyone else think?
 

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r0sered1ster

Magical Forest- The Fool

When I look at the card I see youthful idealism, that time in a young person's life where they have an abundance of optimism and energy about the world and their place in it. I remember my mum always saying "Well, you'd better leave home now while you still know everything" at the times I became too big for my britches. It was never meant to be a scathing commment, mind you but tongue in cheek for her. I see the little pig's exuberance and perhaps not very well informed attitude about heading into the world, the little dog seems to symbolize the unquestioning loyalty as he has wheels instead of legs, meaning he would follow the little pig to the ends of the earth and perhaps the depths too if neither one sees the very edge of the cliff in front of them!
 

GryffinSong

It struck me that the dog's being a toy reinforced the pig's youth and innocence. And somehow I was struck by the closeness of the sun to the pig's nose. Like the pig could just open his mouth and eat the sun! LOL
 

r0sered1ster

Magical Forest- the Fool

Maybe the sun stands for his excitement and enthusiasm for his adventure and he's letting it "lead him by his snout (nose)" without thought of the edge?
 

karen0205

GryffinSong said:
It struck me that the dog's being a toy reinforced the pig's youth and innocence. And somehow I was struck by the closeness of the sun to the pig's nose. Like the pig could just open his mouth and eat the sun! LOL

I didn't connect the toy with the pigs youthfulness. That's a good connection. Yes, I agree, why is the sun so close?

Why is the dog such a 'dead' color? That's the colors used for the sad or dead characters in this deck.
 

Ruby7

To me the sun is off in the distance (to the right side a bit ahead of him not right in front of him) so in my mind he is looking forward into the unknown with the sun shining pleasantly upon him. He is indeed a naive little chap who is full of determination and dreams but has a lot to learn along the way.
 

karen0205

With the toy dog and the sun in front of him I get a more positive feel for this fool card than with other decks. I usually think of the fool as someone immature, with lots to learn and not making the greatest choices. This card seems to be more about moving forward in a good direction. Still has lots to learn and is young but going in the right direction.
 

Ruby7

karen0205 said:
With the toy dog and the sun in front of him I get a more positive feel for this fool card than with other decks. I usually think of the fool as someone immature, with lots to learn and not making the greatest choices. This card seems to be more about moving forward in a good direction. Still has lots to learn and is young but going in the right direction.

Yes, I get a very positive feel for this Fool card also, something more happy about it than usual.
 

MeeWah

"The infinitive attracts zero" could either be a translation error or a misunderstanding of the word form, usually an adverb & not used as a noun as it seems to represent here.

The particular phrasing, however, seems expressive of 0-The Fool from a Buddhist point of view. Captures the idea of infinite possibilities with the Buddhist concept of 'no-thingness'--the lack of ego, a detachment from the physical world & its associations &/or the elimination of desires.

Hence, see the pig with a toy dog to represent a child or youngster. A child tends to take along a favourite toy or a 'security blanket' on any outing or journey. Such a person also detached from the worldly considerations.

The pig, then, represents the innocence of a child or that of childhood. That purity of mind, heart & spirit that 'attracts' the divine or to be in contact with same. (& reminiscent of the old fairy tale, "The Three Pigs" of three pigs who learn about life through trial & error.)

Note, too, the pig cloaked in red. In the Oriental tradition, red the colour of life, vitality & good fortune.
 

Quester

This little pig looks so young. The little dog on wheels adds a touch of innocence that could slide back down the hill..depending on where the pig decides he needs to go. The sun is calling and feels so warm after the coldness of the depths below and it would be hard to ignore.