Whimsical Tarot Deck...opinions?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 12 May 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Noubaguy	12 May 2003
Ive been looking at the diffrent decks and this one seems to be very nice. What I like about it, aside from the fact its based on fairy tales, it seems very simple to read. I saw other decks that are so abstract and embellished and although VERY BEAUTYFULL I find it very hard to associate the meanings with the very elaborate decks. Im wondering if anyone has used the Whimsical Deck, and what their thoughts are on it, before i venture off and buy it. :)

fairyhedgehog	13 May 2003
Hi again Noubaguy :) The Whimsical was one of my favourite decks for a long time. I found it very easy to read with - the stories work at an intuitive level. Sometimes if I'm stuck on a card meaning I think of the picture from the Whimsical and it gives me further insight. If you haven't found them yet, reviews for this deck are at: http://www.aeclectic.net/whimsical/review.html and I also usually look at reviews at www.learntarot.com www.astroamerica.com and www.wicce.com I would say it is definitely a useful deck if you are learning (as I still am) and great fun too.

Kiama	13 May 2003
I agree with FH: The Whimsical is a marvellous deck. Everything I said in my review (FH gave the link to mine and other reviews) I still hold to, except that my love of this deck has grown over time! It is a wonderfully easy deck to read, easy on the eye too, and for the young at heart it can bring on hours of fun: Just sitting down going through the cards and trying to guess which nursery rhyme or story they are from is fun! The added bonus with this deck is that it is a great deck to use for anybody, and if you've got a querent who's a bit wary of Tarot or sensitive to some of the traditional images (Death, Devil, etc) this deck is perfect. The power of stories and tales to convey a message has been noticed by peopel all over the world, and that's what has been used in this deck. It is very easy to see the meaning in many of the stories used in this deck, and thus the meanings of the cards themselves! Kiama

Maan	13 May 2003
I agree with Kiama end Fairyhedgehog, the whimsical is a great deck. Just a little note most fairytales are universal but in this deck there are some pictures of fairytales i had never heared of. Maybe they are just native to USA inhabitans. The stories are easy to find on the internet so it will not be a problem but its just fair to tell you.....hmmm you might even be an American so than this will not be a problem for you

Maan	13 May 2003
Whoops i see your form Florida. :|..so you can just ignore my whole post!

Noubaguy	14 May 2003
Thank you all for your responses :)

truthsayer	14 May 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Maan a little note most fairytales are universal but in this deck there are some pictures of fairytales i had never heared of. Maybe they are just native to USA inhabitans. just for the record, even tho i'm from america and i love the whimsical, i haven't heard of all the fairy tales used in this deck so i don't think they are native to america. i've always read lots of mythology and fairy tales and still missed a few used in this deck. i don't know where they pulled them from. i definitely used the extra book i bought to figure out what was going on. of course, the deck is done by the incomparable mary hanson roberts. she also has 2 other decks- the universal and the hanson-roberts. nnnnnnnnooooooooooo! i'm not prejudiced! LOL :D

Maan	15 May 2003
Quote: Originally posted by truthsayer just for the record, even tho i'm from america and i love the whimsical, i haven't heard of all the fairy tales used in this deck so i don't think they are native to america OH i always thought it was because they where american fairytales. Especially about those three children in the wooden shoe etc. And really ;) your not a tiny bit predjudice? LOL

truthsayer	15 May 2003
i think it would be interesting to do a study on what some of the fairy tales and nursery rhymes are about. i've been told that some of them are actually English political statements. for example, i believe mary, mary quite contrary, how does your garden grow? is about mary, queen of scots. when i get a little more time, some research would be interesting.

raeanne	15 May 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Maan ...Especially about those three children in the wooden shoe etc. The three children in the wooden shoe are Winken, Blinken, and Nod. This is a poem by Eugene Fields and is in the Oxford Book of Children's Verses. Years ago, when I was a camp counselor during the summer, we used to sing this poem as a song. It's a lovely melody and a great children's poem!

Seren	17 May 2003
I only recently heard about this deck, and I've seen pictures of some of the cards. They're beautiful! I'm strongly tempted to buy a deck, as I feel that I'd be able to relate to the cards very well. Because after all, I'm just a kid at heart!

raeanne	17 May 2003
Hi all, I recently bought a book of Favorite Folktales from Around the World. Re-reading these stories has been great fun. This book has added to my enjoyment of the Whimsical Tarot. I would suggest to anyone interested in this deck to spend some time with these folktales. I had forgotten so many! There is a lot of wisdom to be found in these stories.

Sobeknofret	22 May 2003
Sorry, I'm coming to this thread a little late...I just got the Whimsical Tarot yesterday, and I already adore it. Does anybody know however, what the fairy tale on the "Hanged One" is? It rings a bell, but neither my husband or I can place it yet.I've got most of the others, but there are a few that puzzle me still.

raeanne	22 May 2003
Hi, I have a list somewhere with all the fairy tales that go with the Whimsical Tarot but I can't find it. I searched the net and found this web site: http://www.tarotwisdomreadings.com/TarotDecks/Whimsical.html It has all the meanings listed. It lists The Hanged Man card as the fairy tale The Fish Wife. I thought it was called The Fisherman and His Wife. Are these different stories or two different names for the same story?

Astraea	22 May 2003
Raeanne, thank you so much for posting that link. There were a few of the card images that I couldn't identify, either, and the Hanged Man was one of them -- it's great to have such a handy listing. I, too, would like to know whether or not "The Fisherman and His Wife" and "The Fish Wife" are the same stories.

Sobeknofret	22 May 2003
Actually, I don't think I've ever heard of either The Fish Wife or the Fisherman and his Wife! I guess I'd better find a good book of fairy tales and bone up. It's such a great deck! I get all happy just looking through it... :) The website is a great help though. Thank you!

Noubaguy	22 May 2003
If I recall correctly "The fisherman and his Wife" (When I read it in school it was called "THREE WISHES" so I imagine this same story has diffrent titles for some reason) is about a humble couple who live in a very small house and are kinda poor. But one day the fisherman catches a fish who started TALKING to him. The fish told him if he put him back in the water he would grant him three wishes. Well the fisherman goes back and tells his wife and the first two wishes were wasted on very extravagant things (dont remember exactly, i believe she asked for a bigger house, and gold) but afterwards they realised how all that material wealth didnt make them happy and how they prefer just being simple but having each others love. So for the last wish they asked for everything to go back to normal. LoL thats all i can remember from the story (I read that in 1st grade haha) I still have not gotten the deck but as soon as I have the chance ($$$) I am getting it. I love it now even more from hearing you all say such great things about it.

raeanne	25 May 2003
Noubaguy, Yes, that is basically the story of The Fisherman and His Wife. It doesn't really go along with the picture on the Hanged Man card so I'm thinking there must be another story called The Fish Wife. Somewhere in the back of my mind is a memory about another story. The picture on the card reminds me of a story about a man who turns his wife into a fish (or the wife asks to become a fish because her huband is always fishing and she wants to be near him). Anyway, she gets caught in his fishing net or something. Boy, I just can't remember anything else. I have looked in fairytale books but I can't find anything like this. Does this sound familiar to anyone else? I sure wish I could find this story.

Ruby Red Slippers	25 May 2003
Reading this thread, just makes me want this deck more.....:(:( I'm looking for this deck. If anyone has it but doesn't want it, or wants to trade for something else, Please please let me know..... Thanks, Ruby

Sobeknofret	26 May 2003
I just bought the book for the deck and it lists the story on the Hanged One card as "The Little Gold Fish," which does ring a bell with me. I seem to remember that it's about a poor fisherman who catches a gold fish, who promises to grant him three wishes in exchange for his freedom. He takes the fish home to his wife, who immediately wishes for riches and a bigger house. Then the next wish is for even more riches and an even bigger house. Finally, she wishes to be the Queen (Empress maybe?) of the Moon and the Stars. Of course it all turns out badly and they wind up poor and shabby again, but I can't remember how or why. Of course, it doesn't explain why she's hanging in the fishnet in the card does it...anybody else remember this one? Also, how do Cinderella and Prince Charming work as the King and Queen of Wands!? Weird, but I still love this deck so much.

dadsnook2000	27 May 2003
It strikes me that the fisherman and his wife gave up what they had acquired -- their choice -- to obtain (or regain) a satisfactory state. They are confident that what they are giving up is ot worth the worry. The hanged man seems to have placed himself, willingly, in a situation where he no longer has what he once had -- and is looking forward to his next situation with confidence. We don't know what the hanged man had but that isn't important -- he knows or has expectations or faith that what he needs will come to him. The card sounds like a reasonable symbol-set to me. I never seriously considered this deck. It may have merit. Dave.

Ruby Red Slippers	27 May 2003
After reading this post and lusting for this deck, I found the story in a 2nd hand book shop. In that version the last wish of the wife was to "Master of the Universe", in charge of the sun and the moon...... Thinking about this it made perfect sense that the Hanged Man was this story. I think the Master of the Universe "looks" from a different perspective...watches as the sun and moon perform their cyclic tasks and watches man express his free will. The hanged man calls us to "love unconditionally" (including ourselves and the "space/the "now") and observe. Ruby Red Slippers

HOLMES	27 May 2003
yes be good to have a whimiscal tarot deck study group. 1. every thread should start with the story that goes with it, for not all of us even know of the story, or recall it :O(. then again it would take some research to track down the stories for each card. my only problem with the dec besides the changing of swords for the fire element and the wands for the mental element . is the pages , they are just objects . but overall i like it very much and looking forwad to any study group done well for it :O)

Sobeknofret	27 May 2003
I'd love to do a study group also and wouldn't object at all to looking up some of these stories. This is one of my favorite decks, and I'd love to study it further. --Sobe

Ruby Red Slippers	27 May 2003
So how is a study group started???? I'm here only a few months and would love to be part of this group. I just ordered the deck and book and would love to experience this deck as part of a group. But, how does that happen here???? Ruby Red Slippers

HOLMES	27 May 2003
and read the sticky on starting a study group by solandia . (i dont' know if you have to be a subscriber or not , ) then a thread is started for each card, and preferably have the thread start with the story so we will know what exactly we are dealing as a basis . any other comments guys ? edited to add. was originally supposed to be in the whimisical tarot thread, in answer to a post , i must of hit wrong button :O) so please merge

The Whimsical Tarot Deck...opinions? thread was originally posted on 12 May 2003 in the Tarot Decks board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Decks, or read more archived threads.