The dog on The Fool

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 10 Feb 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

graylensman	10 Feb 2005
I've been contemplating The Fool (RW version), and to me, that dog seems to be egging on the Fool toward the abyss. But all the knowledgable interpretations say that the dog is a warning. Am I way off base?

bladeraven	10 Feb 2005
I take the dog as the voice of conscious...it's consider man's best friend...and it's there to guide (guide dog)...

mnemosyne7	10 Feb 2005
Hi Gray, Perhaps each card of the Tarot is like a Rorschach inkblot. What you see and how you interpret it can say a lot about your own state of mind and situation. You say you see the dog as egging the Fool on toward the abyss. Is the dog your own animal nature or, maybe a friend. Who or what is encouraging you right now to do something that you consider risky? Or do you want to take someone along with you for Mr. Toad's Wild Ride? I've been playing with the Tarot for over 20 years, and I swear that every time I pick up a card, I see something new or in a new way. And a lot of my interpretation depends on my own experiences and perception in the moment. Mnem

graylensman	10 Feb 2005
mnemosyne7 wrote: You say you see the dog as egging the Fool on toward the abyss. Is the dog your own animal nature or, maybe a friend. Who or what is encouraging you right now to do something that you consider risky? Or do you want to take someone along with you for Mr. Toad's Wild Ride? Mnem Hmmm... excellent insight, and it has given me pause. however, I think my reaction is from my general attitude towards dogs - they generally don't strike me as particularly bright creatures. (Please, before any dog lover roasts my hide in my own fat, this is just a generalization! and yes, I'm a cat person.)

mnemosyne7	11 Feb 2005
Well then, that sounds to me like you need a Fool card with something other than a dog. Darn it - that means ANOTHER tarot deck purchase. Mnem

temperlyne	11 Feb 2005
I always imagine the fool jumping off the cliff instead of turning back in time. If the dog is driving him toward the abyss, it might still represent instinct. Sometimes we just need to jump over the edge and trust that we will be ok.

Gyda	11 Feb 2005
mnemosyne7 wrote: Well then, that sounds to me like you need a Fool card with something other than a dog. Darn it - that means ANOTHER tarot deck purchase. Mnem The Norse deck Fool has no dog on it. It's a very nice deck. Gyda

graylensman	11 Feb 2005
Part of my interpretation comes from the position of the dog. If the dog were turned to face the Fool, then maybe I can see it as a warning. Maybe, perhaps.

Grizabella	11 Feb 2005
I'm definitely a dog lover and what I think of when I see the dog on the UW is that not only is the Fool merrily blundering along off the cliff, the little dog who loves him is merrily and trustingly just following along with him, so caught up in the fun that he doesn't realise they're both in peril.

Arnnaria	11 Feb 2005
Yip yip yip. Dogs are my ideal image of the fool. Footloose and fancy free. They don't have a care in the world and can be quite adventurous. The dog on The Fool has joined this person on their journey. Why? Who knows! We don't even know why The Fool decided to pack up his things and leave! As for egging him on? Maybe the dog is, maybe it isn't. But if The Fool falls off the cliff we know the dog will help. :)

NewWithCards	12 Feb 2005
Perhaps each card of the Tarot is like a Rorschach inkblot. What you see and how you interpret it can say a lot about your own state of mind and situation. I dont konw how to quote, but that is what mnemosyne7 had said. And yes, i think that is what tarot cards do, this would be how some ppl who dont believe in it would describe it psychologically, "it's all in your subconcious" they say. i believe it, but i dont mind if it's true or not, it helps, it helps me find what's all stuffed up inside

graylensman	13 Feb 2005
NewWithCards wrote: i believe it, but i dont mind if it's true or not, it helps, it helps me find what's all stuffed up inside yes, that's why I've decided to really make a go at studying tarot now... to help sort out some internal issues and make a connection with a greater spiritual power.

Esther	14 Feb 2005
In a way, it could be that the dog is 'warning' theFool by following him, barking to warn him of the cliff. I can also see how the dog could be chasing the Fool, but personally, the Fool seems too carefree to be overly intimidated by the dog. Another way I think it can be viewed is that perhaps the dog is traveling with the fool, and perhaps represents a pack mentality of following the leader. The dog follows its master, the Fool, or the Fool follows the dog. Either way, they're moving without deep thought as to what they do.

RedMaple	14 Feb 2005
In our tradition, dogs are very important. When you die, you come eventually to a cliff, with a bridge held on the back of the dogs you have had in your life. If the dogs are happy with you, they will hold the bridge steady while you cross, if not.... I always see the Fool with the dog in this context, beginning a new journey, a new life, with the little dog warning him, egging him on, whatever he needs, and he has the choice to listen or not, but at the end of the journey, he'll be back at this cliff, and the dogs will know the choices he made.

Dark Inquisitor	14 Feb 2005
I was reading a section that reminded me of this thread last night in an unrelated book called Women Who Run With the Wolves . The dog was seen to symbolize distraction . Anything that grabs our attention and distracts us from our path. The little dog is like a playful thing nipping at our heels or getting underfoot, taking our focus off where we're going and what we're doing. It could be an addiction , or anything we get sidetracked by .

contradiction	14 Feb 2005
i've always thought of the dog as just following his beloved master. but, then on the "warning" side of the coin, could the dog be trying to grab hold of the man's coat tail, in an attempt to pull him back. the fool looks as if he is oblivious, to the cliff, if the dog could get his attention back on the path he is walking, would that not warn him of the danger. btw...i've most of the dogs i have owned (or did they own me), always amazed me at how smart they could be.

graylensman	14 Feb 2005
RedMaple wrote: In our tradition, dogs are very important. When you die, you come eventually to a cliff, with a bridge held on the back of the dogs you have had in your life. If the dogs are happy with you, they will hold the bridge steady while you cross, if not.... What if you've had nothing but cats? ;) Thanks to everyone for their wonderful insights. I definitely regard the Fool's dog in a different light now.

Sechat	14 Feb 2005
As a person who lives a spouse (male), 2 children (female), one boxer (dog), one inside cat, assorted outside cats, a boa and a rabbit, I've learned it is just as hard to generalize about animal behavior as human behavior. Our dog would happily follow my family over any cliff Our cat would check 1. see if the drop was survivable and 2. would there be any good things to eat waiting at the bottom before gracing us with his presence Our rabbit same as cat with 1 and 2 reversed. Our snake, only requires that we leave the sun lamp on and bring some fresh mice with us when we get back. I agree with the comment about Tarot and Rorschach blot similarities--to take it even further, I think that it is probably the small details that make individual study of the tarot so valuable. Since the LWB by definition will be abbreviated, your individual understanding comes to the fore as you seek to understand those details that have not been handed to you. peace, sechat

RedMaple	16 Feb 2005
graylensman wrote: What if you've had nothing but cats? ;) Thanks to everyone for their wonderful insights. I definitely regard the Fool's dog in a different light now. Ah, yes, well the only cats we had around were Lynx, bobcats, and mountain lions... now of course, we've got the Maine coon cats that some say were domestic cats who interbred with the bobcats here. They are colored like raccoons, and also have a very burbly voice. I fully expect my cats to be waiting for me and perhaps sing me across the abyss....or more likely they'll be wondering where I've been, what's to eat, and how soon they can climb onto my lap. :)

The The dog on The Fool thread was originally posted on 10 Feb 2005 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.