Wildwood Tarot

[GryffinSong]

Oh, no ... not the whole deck. Just a couple of the animal-headed people. The only one I've seen is the stag headed man.

The other scans I've seen of this deck (animals, people, plants) are lovely, and I don't need to see anymore of those.

[gregory]

OK - in the morning. It is bedtime where I am !

[GryffinSong]

Thanks Gregory! Have a good night!!!

[Cat*]

Originally Posted by gregory

Cat* - would you have disliked it as much if the publicity hadn't said anything about the Greenwood ? I don't find it nearly as LoS as you seem to...

I can't answer that because I never saw the Wildwood independent from the Greenwood. (I would have recognized the similarities to the Greenwood nonetheless, and then I'd have been furious that the creators copied the concept and didn't even give credit. So it seems they couldn't have won with me anyway.)

May I add for the record that I'm neither a total Greenwood fan (it IS a great deck but it's NOT without its shortcomings) nor a total Lo Scarabeo hater (they have produced some wonderful decks, some of which I happily own)? It's just that I like Worthingston's other artwork so much BETTER than this. And I passionately dislike some of the Wildwood's cards. Even if we leave the whole Greenwood business aside.

I will admit, however, that the colors look remarkably less washed out when the deck is trimmed.

I'm also curious: would someone who has access to an entire deck be so nice as to write up the court card animals for me? There have been some changes to the ones in the Greenwood, and I'd like to compare...

[shadowdancer]

well, still a 58 day wait with my order at BD so have cancelled it. Will muse as to whether I rush to make a new order somewhere, or whether the deck is not meant for me long term.

Glad it has made its way to new owners already though and has had overall, a good reception

Davina

[Satori]

Gryff, the animal headed people are actually called Manitoba in a series of books by Charles DeLint. See Moonheart. In this series they are actually very Shamanically oriented, and I've always thought very cool. This series of books about a mythical town in Canada is perhaps one of my most favorite sets of books. So he is sort of using the region of Manitoba as a spirit name for his creatures.

I think they are spirit helpers, the spirits of animals come to us with some features of humans so as to be more acceptable to us humanfolk. I don't know the actual true mythology here, and perhaps this is a Mi-Shell question. What I do know is that this a theme in several more pagan novels I've read. So there has to be an indigenous source to the appearance of the animal headed people. Perhaps it is also a Celtic invention since it is used here in the Greenwood/Wildwood.

I believe that the Shamans in Celtic times would wear the animal head of certain animals to honor and call down the spirit of that animal. In the Clan of the Cave Bear books they did this with the Bear, adorning the Shaman of the Cave Bear with a skin of the bear and the head intact.

So in the Wildwood I think this is supposed to be the Spiritual leader either wearing the animal, or the animal spirit coming to the tribe as part animal, part human. Hence, we are brothers and sisters, animals and people, and should be seen as such.

Further, there is a dangerous quality to these spirits, sort of a warrior like attitude, or gaurdian of something/ some one.

ETA:
For clarification purposes:
I do not think that the wearing of an animal makes someone a shaman.

[Carla]

Originally Posted by Cat*

I'm also curious: would someone who has access to an entire deck be so nice as to write up the court card animals for me? There have been some changes to the ones in the Greenwood, and I'd like to compare...

Arrows--

King--kingfisher
Queen--Swan
Knight--Hawk
Page--Wren

Bows--
King--Adder
Queen-Hare
Knight--Fox
Page--Stoat

Stones--
King--Wolf
Queen--Bear
Knight--Horse
Page--Lynx

Vessels--
King--Heron
Queen--Salmon
Knight--Eel
Page--Otter

Cat, which Wildwood cards do you particularly hate? I'm curious.

[Nina*]

Just received my copy from the Tarot Chest. Yay!

[Hemera]

Originally Posted by Carla

*The card images that I dislike are Knight of Stones Horse (looks like a donkey).

I was wondering about this,too. So...
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=156085

[gregory]

Originally Posted by Cat*

I can't answer that because I never saw the Wildwood independent from the Greenwood. (I would have recognized the similarities to the Greenwood nonetheless, and then I'd have been furious that the creators copied the concept and didn't even give credit. So it seems they couldn't have won with me anyway.)

May I add for the record that I'm neither a total Greenwood fan (it IS a great deck but it's NOT without its shortcomings) nor a total Lo Scarabeo hater (they have produced some wonderful decks, some of which I happily own)? It's just that I like Worthington's other artwork so much BETTER than this. And I passionately dislike some of the Wildwood's cards. Even if we leave the whole Greenwood business aside.

I will admit, however, that the colors look remarkably less washed out when the deck is trimmed.

I'm also curious: would someone who has access to an entire deck be so nice as to write up the court card animals for me? There have been some changes to the ones in the Greenwood, and I'd like to compare...

They aren't washed out, I have to say. My scanner IS old...

And no quarrel, Cat* - I just know you know a lot of stuff that I don't and was seriously interested in your opinion in detail - I have been spitting bricks about the alleged Greenwood link from day 1 - while saying also that I love Worthington's art, and would have bought the deck for that alone, and I think pushing the link is a really bad mistake as well as being misleading (I do now actually know of someone who almost bought it because they thought it was a reissue of the original ).

And there are actually very few animal headed people - I am scanning as we speak.

OK - scanned very fast and not in any way edited as I have company coming...

some people with animal heads (I THINK all of them except the one already seen); two people with an animal fur OVER their heads, and some of the skimpy dresses which don't bother me but posted for comment. More later....