View Full Version : The Page of Cups and his Fish
FourLeafClover
18-01-2004, 03:24
This is the only card in the Rider-Waite deck that in my books qualifies as Adorable.
I have both the orignial RWS and the Radiant RWS, and while the Radiant is more beautiful, I really prefer the original page of cups.
It's all because of the fish. Take a good look at the original RWS Page of Cups. Look at how he and the fish seem to be exchanging a knowing glance, and finding something delightful or amusing about what they're sharing.
This page, I think, is getting "inside information" on the subject of emotions and feelings. I think he's all about making a really strong connection between thoughts and feelings. After all, who better to ask about water than a fish?
That's how I see the page and his fish... as a signal that your emotions are totally trustworthy at this time because they are sharing an unusually good connection with your thoughts.
Any other interpretations for that cute little fishie?
I have read where the fish means a surprise.
The Page is not expecting a fish to pop out of the cup.
I like your explaination better!
Imagemaker
18-01-2004, 09:55
I love your explanation. One I will remember!
TemperanceAngel
19-01-2004, 00:12
I have always thought the fish is symbolic of the imagination. Being a Page he is learning to express his imagination, emotion and intuition (Cups).
Think of Christ being symbolised by the fish, esp. when Christianity was not very popular, this is how Christians recognised each other :)
Another thought of the fish is that it lives in water and cups are associated with the element Water.
XTAX
WalesWoman
19-01-2004, 06:49
I've heard Salmon represent wisdom, that the fish leaping out of the cup is the emergence or offering of it. That is is learning, so that one of the meanings of Page of Cups is a need to study for exams or to become more knowledgeable and prepared.
Mystic Zyl
21-01-2004, 17:47
New Palladini has a good page of cups too
The Pages would have come from other "families"
to serve in the Court, and I think The Page of Cups
is from the Sword family ~ look at how she stands,
as if in a fencing pose... and as for the Fish, since
she is unused to Cups, with her airy imagination she
has found a pleasant diversion. Besides, don't fish
need air to breathe, even if held in a smallish Cup?
psychic sue
27-02-2005, 05:37
I think of this fish as his unconcious. He's looking at it with surpirse, like he's only just discovered it.
The fish in this deck reminds of the fish in the cat in the hat books, and he represented the children's conscience didn't he?
mistyiiching
28-02-2005, 20:10
the page of cups stands looking at the fish in his cup and the water behind him to me he has scooped up a little surprise from the water and didnt realise to what his actions could bring , believe in the universal love cos it is in you and you are the creator of your life but the christian belief of jesus feeding the hoards turning water into wine and feeding the hoards on very little tells a story of the fish and abundance for the page of cups and to believe in himself/herself and know that the mysterys of life are within and can be created and manifested into reality .The communication with the knowing glanceof the page and the fish is all on a telepathic level and to belive that we have a gift and to open up to it.
the page of cups stands looking at the fish in his cup and the water behind him to me he has scooped up a little surprise from the water and didnt realise to what his actions could bring , believe in the universal love cos it is in you and you are the creator of your life but the christian belief of jesus feeding the hoards turning water into wine and feeding the hoards on very little tells a story of the fish and abundance for the page of cups and to believe in himself/herself and know that the mysterys of life are within and can be created and manifested into reality .The communication with the knowing glanceof the page and the fish is all on a telepathic level and to belive that we have a gift and to open up to it.
Thats about the best explanation I have heard here.
The Page of Cups is the Earthy part of Water; emotions have been made substantial, feelings have crystallised and taken on solid form.
it is the essence of dreams condensing on a cool glass, conjuring something tangible and visible, as if from thin air.
Vincent
rainwolf
01-03-2005, 01:12
Oh i really like that interpretation!! I hope that it could work for every reading though...I thought of it as young emotion, innocent love, a young child, a book i have even describes it as a homosexual, but of course a picture is worth a thousand words.
Earthly Virgo
30-03-2005, 23:57
I love these interpretations. They are so "expectant" and full of hope and excitment!
I now look at the card in a new way. I can just feel the Page saying"well fancy that a fish, just when he thought he was going to get a drink of wine or something". Isnt that the same feeling you get when something unusual pops into your head during a reading.
I cant help but think that the colours in the cards are really important ....and here we have the page dressed in blue and red... and the orange boots... the orange being the colour of the relationship chakra ...(our relationship to our creativity and people and sexuality and most importatnly to our own spiritual path) Joseph Campbell would have said the boots represented our destiny...our path. He still standing on firm ground but close enough to the water to see it flowing past him.
Dont you just love the cards... they are amazing and each time I look full of somethign new.
Tree Sprite
31-03-2006, 06:39
The first time I really looked at this card my mind went in search of the archetypal story of the grail and the journey of the novice towards enlightenment from innocence. Along the way he burns his fingers on a roasting salmon that is not meant for him, puts his fingers in his mouth, and gains the first morsel of consciousness in the form of a wound. (Thank you Robert Johnston).
For me it is the little fish of wisdom in a gentler form - the page is looking at the fish as if to say - 'what can I learn from you, my little fish - where will you take me today?'
For me it is the little fish of wisdom in a gentler form - the page is looking at the fish as if to say - 'what can I learn from you, my little fish - where will you take me today?'
This made me think of "The Once and Future King" where Merlin turns Arthur into different animals to teach him different things about being a king and about how one goes about when trying to pull a sword out of a stone. I recall him being turned into a fish, but I'm a bit fuzzy as to what exactly the lesson was (I went to my bookshelf to look it up only to realize I exchanged it for a copy of "Moby-dick" at the youth hostel in Puerto Iguazu... So if anyone's looking for a copy for free you know where to find it!). It's a lovely book anyway, I especially enjoy the bit about the geese.