Deirdre of the Sorrows - Page of Swords

shadowdancer

This is one card that has the ability to tell a story, and gives another dimension to what can all too often be portrayed as quite a plain card.
The character really does appear quite young and does appear to be more than a little nervous. We are led to believe he is a Page masquerading as a Knight. We can see his sword is almost as tall as he is, so there is still some growing to be done on his part before he will be able to wield it with any ease.
He is on a stage but we do not see the audience at all. However, his demeanour and expression may indicate he is taking part in a performance of sorts. We can only imagine how the audience is receiving his performance.

I often see swords as linked with communication. In this case our young Page may not have the skills to communicate in a clear and concise way, particularly if the role he is undertaking is one that a little daunting for his tender years. Think back to a time where you have had to put yourself across in a strong and positive way, but did not quite carry it off. How many times did you go over and ‘rehearse’ what you wanted to say in your head? Yet when it came to it, the words did not flow in the way they did when you were mentally verbalising to yourself. If you felt yourself become a little tongue-tied, you will have sympathy with the Page.

OTHER ITEMS
I just love this little cat washing itself behind the Page. Is it totally oblivious to his plight, or is it being rather dismissive? Could it show that just when you feel you are doing something of importance, somebody or something comes along that brings you down to earth somewhat by taking some of the spotlight away? We could also ask why the cat has chosen that place and time to conduct itself in this way. Cats usually clean themselves just before they settle down for a nap. It obviously feels unthreatened out here in full view of us all – can you associate with this at all? Luckily our Page hasn’t seen it yet. Hopefully the calm demeanour of the cat will rub off on him, and he too will relax into his role.

The walking stick is propped up against the table. I think this is a positive sign, and shows there is an attempt to try something without receiving support from elsewhere. He may have made use of that support in the lead up to the performance, but now is the time to put it to one side and try to get by without it. The walking stick is still in eyeshot should he need it, but we can hope he gets through the performance without having to call on it. Is there something you have used by way of a crutch? If so, what do you think would happen if you left that crutch to one side and tried to stand on your own two feet for a while?

The empty chest under the table is quite puzzling. Is it just a prop and therefore part of the act, or is it something more than that? The lid is up, and although we see there is a keyhole, we do not see a key. What was in the chest?

And what can we make of the fox on the backdrop? It is looking alert yet relaxed – its gaze turned towards our young Page. Can this be the warning Deirdre has alluded to? Should we be careful of being complacent in the presence of an animal that is linked with sly or devious behaviour? What could his intentions be towards our young Page, or even the cat? If there is a sense of a hidden threat symbolised here, then it is easy to understand why Deirdre has said to double check anything of legal significance. If you are purchasing that new car, make sure the small print is examined closely. If you don’t, you may not be able to communicate your way out of a binding or difficult situation!