Tarot of the Magical Forest (English and Spanish Edition) [Cards]

Lo Scarabeo (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 8, 2008

Take a Tarot walk through an enchanted forest.

Throughout human history and across every culture, there have been legends, myths, and tales of talking animals. This delightful Tarot takes advantage of this by using animals on all of the cards, adding to the Rider-Waite-Smith symbolism that was already there.

The Major Aracana cleverly features sheep, lions, bears, pigs, hedgehogs, and kangaroos, adding a wonderful feel to the cards that is happy and basic. The Strength card, which shows a lamb and a lion nuzzling each other, has to be the sweetest version of this card ever. The Sun card shows a baby kangaroo in his mother's pouch in a field of sunflowers under a huge sun happily waving a little red flag with innocent, blissful joy.

The Minor Arcana suits, while traditionally named, each feature a specific animal: Cups have bunnies, Pentacles have foxes, Wands have frogs, and Swords have cats. These choices brilliantly represent the suit qualities. Bunnies bring forth feelings of warmth and sweetness. Foxes are thought to be clever. Cats can be seen as intelligent and emotionally distant. Frogs, well, they like games (leap frog, anyone?).

So the 4 of Cups shows a bunny under a tree with three cups in the foreground and one being offered by a hand emerging from a cloud (like the RWS). This bunny has her eyes closed and is very much at peace, using creative visualization to manifest what she wants.

This refreshing, whimsical, and wonderful deck will surprise you every time you use its immediately evocative images.

 

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Since 1987, Art Publisher Lo Scarabeo has published over 100 Tarot decks that have been acclaimed all over the world for originality and quality. Only the best Italian and International artists are selected for our new decks, and the result is that Lo Scarabeo's decks are all recognizable as an exceptional artistic value.

Tradition
One of Lo Scarabeo's goals is the preservation of traditional Tarot decks.

Development
New decks and ideas are continually gathered from all over the world. This allows Lo Scarabeo to produce some of the most innovative decks available today.

Quality
Lo Scarabeo is committed to ever increasing quality and beauty of their products.

Distribution
*Llewellyn is the exclusive distributor of Lo Scarabeo products in North America.

Product Details

• Cards: 78 pages
• Publisher: Llewellyn Publications; Crds Blg edition (July 8, 2008)
• Language: English, Spanish
• ISBN-10: 0738714127
• ISBN-13: 978-0738714127
• Product Dimensions: 4.9 x 2.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #596,210 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful quirky cards!, October 25, 2008

By 

Robin Nicole (Westminster, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tarot of the Magical Forest (English and Spanish Edition) (Cards)

I normally don't write reviews for products. After a while, they all sound the same and don't add any real substance. However, since this card set had two such wildly disparaging reviews, I thought I'd throw in my two cents.

I purchased these cards almost two years ago as a birthday present to myself. They are wonderfully eclectic and fun to study. Animals obviously replace human representation, with frogs waving Wands, rabbits raising Cups, cats wielding Swords, and foxes playing with Pentacles

Apparently, there are now TWO printings of this deck - the original from China (2005), and the reissue from Lo Scarabeo (2008). The version being sold on Amazon is the re-issued set. My cards, being from the original issue, are from a study stock. The borders are slightly different as well...more of the text is in Chinese with very minimal translations. This has quickly become my favorite of my four tarot decks.

Personally, I would go for the original issue if you can find it.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Adorable RWS Style Deck, November 10, 2009

By 

Janet Boyer "Author, Blogger, Radio Host" (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tarot of the Magical Forest (English and Spanish Edition) (Cards)

"In order to understand the language of fables, you simply must imagine you are a child once again and let your imagination lead you into this mystical world. In this way, with the same innocent and childlike craving for discovery, you will seek the simplest and most truthful meanings of the Tarots: the most extraordinary ones that we had forgotten we knew, those that we left behind together with our old books of fairy tales and toys that had seemed so magical to us long ago." - From the Little White Book to the Tarot of the Magical Forest

An utterly adorable Tarot deck from Lo Scarabeo, the Tarot of the Magical Forest is populated with families of bunnies, foxes, frogs and cats within the Minor Arcana, while all manner of animals govern the forest in the Majors.

White old bear lumbers in the cold, illumined lantern leading the way through the snow. Crocodile Grandmother presides over disputes among the forest creatures, while Johnny Porcupine drives a careening chariot, vowing not to return until from the city until the sun is set. Brother Bat hangs upside down, seeing the world from a new perspective, as the empress Crowned Piglet declares happiness, love and tranquility among the forest populace.

Such are some of the characters gracing the soft, colorful imagery of the Tarot of the Magical Forest. Modeled after the Rider-Waite-Smith depictions, the card illustrations catch these wide-eyed creatures performing all-too-human actions. Whether it's sneaky cat making off with an armful of blades in the 7 of Swords or the pragmatic fox doling out coins to outstretched paws, this lighthearted deck captures universal themes both mundane and profound.

The Family of Bunnies--nurturing, guileless and sensitive--corresponds to the human suit of Chalices. The Family of Foxes--practical, shrewd and earthy--corresponds to the human suit of Pentacles. The imaginative, creative and passionate Family of Frogs correspond to the human suit of Wands, while the intellectual, communicative and fickle Family of Cats correspond the human suit of Swords.

The Little White Book to the Tarot of the Magical Forest is delightful, especially the text of the Major Arcana meanings conveying the attitude, mission and declaration of each character. For example, Rabbit Swellhead (The Magician) says, "Oh Animals of the Forest, I will amaze you with marvels and magic, with wonders never seen before!" while Red Crayfish (The Moon) thinks, "I am confused in this water that comes from far way and drags me backwards."

Measuring approximately 4 ¾ x 2 ½ inches, the cards feature a reversible design of a dark forest with sparkling points of light. The Court Cards of the Tarot of the Magical Forest follow the Knave, Knight, Queen and King demarcation.

If you enjoy gentle, comfy decks, you'll probably love the Tarot of the Magical Forest. Despite its non-threatening nature, it delivers accurate, pointed advice and insights into even the most troubling issues. I've used this deck occasionally for the last six months and it never fails to elicit a smile or a chuckle from me, even while it packages the most piercing of truths in its cuddly exterior.

-- Janet Boyer, author of Back in Time Tarot

(To see 18 images from this deck, visit the Reviews--Decks section at JanetBoyer.com)

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't pass up this little gem!, October 26, 2010

By 

Martysaurus-Rex (Columbus, Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tarot of the Magical Forest (English and Spanish Edition) (Cards)

I came across this Taiwanese deck a few years ago on ebay before it was released by Lo Scarabeo and fell in love with it's images. There is something very engaging about it's playful, bright and almost dreamy imagery that draw you in immediately. But what brought me back time and time again to using it in readings (both for myself and others) was the storybook like quality of the cards in layouts. The colors weave from dark to light, and from soothing greens and blues, to cheerful yellows and pinks; creating both contrast when opposed, and unity when placed together.
When looking for "THE" deck,(and I know we've all been there) I was often disappointed by one or two cards that really took me out of a reading. The colors of a Magician's robes were dull, or a Lovers card depicted two dejected looking, emaciated forms. I feel like sometimes a tarot deck comes with the illustrator's own emotional baggage, (for better or worse) and can really throw off your intuitive understanding of a reading.
This deck however has none of that murkiness. The darkest cards emote the mourning and dread which they are meant to convey; but even those swords and cups have a playful and whimsical feeling about them. The Tarot Of The Magical Forest is a deck that has its "heart" in the right place. The readings I have done for myself and others have all been inherently positive and fun to give.
For me this was "THE" deck I had been looking for. And now, since being released by Lo Scarabeo it can be yours too!