Robin Wood, The Fool 0

ambermoon

This is one of the more balanced Fool cards I have seen. There's not much tension in the composition, even though he stands on tiptoe, he's got both feet on the ground. The vertical tree and dog balance and anchor the foreground composition into a sturdy triangle.

in the background, the triangles are reversed.

Even the backpack, streamers and feather are offset by the bold red pattern of the left leg of his tights.

What's it all mean? A more dreamy Fool, not flinging himself headlong on the path, a gentle balance of curiousity and gentle indolence.
 

Netzach

Being new to the group, I thought I'd begin at the beginning with the Fool, although I see that the last comment made by anyone else on this card was about four months ago. So I hope that's OK.

The word that comes into my mind with this card is "potential". The androgynous nature of the youth - could be either male or female - suggests the idea of developing into something richer and more positive. And unlike the Fool in some other decks, he/she doesn't seem to be in imminent danger of walking off the edge of the cliff. In fact, rather the opposite - he is perfectly balanced just on the edge - so balanced that he can put all his concentration into playing his pipe. And, in doing so, he seems to be calling other beings to him - the butterflies circling round him and the dog who seems not, as in some other decks, to be trying to hold him back from something foolhardy but rather to be stretching up to listen to the music. Even the trees in the valley below seem to be reaching up towards the pipe-player.

A friend of mine - a psychic - has developed her own set of divination cards which just have coloured symbols on them. There is one which is simply a black circle on a white background and which, to me, says "the world is your oyster". I get the same sort of feeling with this card.

I just wonder about the reversed meaning. I have trouble with these, which is why I mention it. Perhaps with this Fool it would be the sense of balance going so that he would be more ready to tumble off the edge. But I feel that the potential would still be there although the ability to use it to its best advantage might have gone.

Netzach
 

satinangel

Netzach,

GREAT comments on the Fool card! I agree with your insights.

I also have a bit of a challenge with the reversals, but when it comes to the fool, I see maybe being too rigid and inflexible...too set in your ways...maybe needing to step out and try something new and different, even if it's uncomfortable...
 

Julien

I, too, thought I ought to comment on the Fool first

Of the decks I own, this is my favorite Fool. And this is a card I tend to pay a lot of attention to as it seems so apt to my life (my personality card, it is).

I lookat this card and I see and feel mountain air all around me. I know what it is to hike in mountains, to look down and see a cree running below, and see snow on peaks a little ways off. This card always reminds me of those days, days when I wash in mountain streams and thoroughly enjoy the energy that is all around me when we're about in nature. Leave all the trouble and worries of everyday life behind and just enjoy life -- that's the feeling I think the Fool must have has he/she walks thorugh the world.

I never think of the Fool as blindly walking off cliffs -- rather he/she looks down and says, "I wonder what's down there," and then decides, "Well, there's just one way to find out"... Of course, sometimes the fall is painful. Sometimes it's not. There's just this sense that life is too short to be afraid to explore, and so explore it this Fool will do.

I love the butterflies in the RW Fool card, as well as the colors. all the green and white, and red -- all colors of life, accented with the pretty yellows. All the colors on the rest of the deck. This is a Fool that loves all aspectes of life, and walks around balanced on his/her tip toes and moving to her/his own tune. The butterflies accompany him/her, and the cute little dog danc es by his/her side.

I, too, have trouble with this card when it's reversed, though I tend to think it usually is a note of warning for the querent (or myself) to remember to pay attention to the cliff there... Being adventurous is a good thing, I think, when you can maintain your balance, but if you begin to let that go, well... Looks like it's a looonnnnggg fall...

Julien
 

cricket

When this card comes up in a reading, I tend to lean toward the Pied Piper/Pan calling ideas. To me it always seems as if he's calling to something with the music of his pipe, fully confident in his abilities to handle whatever comes to answer the call. He's looking forward to meeting whatever it might be. His little doggy companion is looking for it as well - he's on his hend legs, as some small dogs tend to do when they're waiting for something or searching for something they know should be there.

On the other hand, the lad is facing toward the cliff. Not much would be able to get to him from that direction. Whatever he's calling to would most likely come from the other way, and might catch him by surprise. His overconfidence might sneak up and bite him in the rear, causing enormous amounts of trouble.
 

grking

This card gives me a different feeling than in the RW deck. Here, as has been pointed out, the Fool is more grounded. There is less "foolishness" here and more playfulness. The card definitely leaves me with the feel that the Fool is doing his own thing, and is stretched to see what is over the horizon, and not really caring what is happening. The feeling is more of a thoughtless (in a Zen like manner) living in the moment and having fun type person, rather than a careless individual.
 

Lewen

I will start at the fool, what better way then to begin at the beginning for me!

Intuitively, the impression I get from the Fool is a bright, crisp day. The day is full of possibilities, but be also aware of your surroundings. The Dog looks like he's following along, just happy to be with his master/his friend.

There's a stream down below in what looks like a valley which reminds me of Disney's Pocahontas's song, "Just around the riverbend" not knowing what's around the next corner, but going just to find out. I see the butterflies flitting around and it represents transformation and happiness just being about. I see the green grass and it looks like Spring, like new beginnings, all things bright and new. The snowy mountains in the background almost seems to me as the poem that I heard once:

The Future lies before you
fresh as clean snow
be careful how you tread on it
for every mark will show.

It's almost as if a future awaits, freshly untrampled but every little mark, mar and imprint will make its mark on the Fool's life. He seems unaware of it now, but will learn as he moves on.

That's just what I get from looking at it. :)
 

spinningspider

To jump right into the study group started by Lewen, I reread the first couple chapters (had read the entire book about a year ago but am excited to go back with a finer tooth comb...) AND I took a long look at the "Fool" in Robin's deck.

I feel I can personally relate deeply to the Fool. For one thing, it's the journey of anything...life, work, relationships, projects, etc. that interests me more than reaching the finish line. Is now and always has been, even when I was a kid. That, for me, is the essence of the Fool.

On his back he has everything necessary for that journey (of life)...HE (the card has a very male feeling to me for some reason) doesn't necessarily know how to use the tools. He may know the tools are in the pack, but then again, he may not OR he may forget he even has them...a bit scatterbrained, perhaps or maybe just so full of joy and innocence, nothing but how he's feeling and the journey ahead really matters. In fact, he may be so excited to be off on his adventure, he can't even feel the weight of the pack on his own back.

This card reminds me, in its positive sense, to never lose the child-like wonder we were born with. Life's blows has a way of diminishing that wonder in each of us. The Fool hasn't been tainted yet by those blows. He's set out on an adventure where ANYTHING can happen. He's not worried that the "anything" might be bad. He's got joy in his heart, a blue sky overhead and his faithful companion at his side.

But wait, is the dog barking to remind him that he's getting awfully close to that mountain's edge? Or is the dog just as excited as he is? Maybe better pay at least a wee bit closer attention to details on this journey, eh?...like where the road ends, which way might be best to turn, packing some rations since there might be no where to get food down the line (oops, forgot that!), considering where to sleep for the night...Aah, but the Fool's not worried about any of that just yet. For now, he's just happy to be starting. He'll worry about the rest like Scarlett O-Hara in "Gone With The Wind": "I can't think about that right now. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll think about that tomorrow."
 

spinningspider

Remembered another thing that comes to my mind when thinking about the Fool...To quote Bob Dylan, "He not busy being born is busy dying."
 

Lewen

spinningspider said:
I feel I can personally relate deeply to the Fool. For one thing, it's the journey of anything...life, work, relationships, projects, etc. that interests me more than reaching the finish line. Is now and always has been, even when I was a kid. That, for me, is the essence of the Fool...

This card reminds me, in its positive sense, to never lose the child-like wonder we were born with. Life's blows has a way of diminishing that wonder in each of us. The Fool hasn't been tainted yet by those blows. He's set out on an adventure where ANYTHING can happen. He's not worried that the "anything" might be bad. He's got joy in his heart, a blue sky overhead and his faithful companion at his side.


I liked how you wrote the above. It is the journey of anything. It reminds me of the "here and now" and not looking behind nor looking too far ahead, but enjoying the everyday moments and the "in-betweens" rather then focusing too much on the past or present. I'm still learning this in a lot of ways.

I liked what was written about the dog...is the dog trying to warn the fool or like a faithful friend and companion, walking with the fool to the very end, despite all that is or will be. Very interesting.

I get the gist of "new possibilities" and "Excitement" when I see this card. It always reminds me of those days when classes are over and I have about two weeks before the next term begins. I get the feeling like the Fool, The world is my oyster. Anything is possible.

Great insight and thoughts. I could use a lesson from the fool to enjoy the "here and now" versus trying to foresee or dwell on the past. Hmmm, something to think about today.