- Forest Fable Tarot - Card Meanings
A Key for the Curious
You’ve found the guide to the Forest Fable Tarot deck.
This deck took over four years to create, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for welcoming it into your practice. The cards range from paintings to drawings. Some paintings I created many years ago, some are very recent. If you would like a history on the practice of tarot, or my inspiration for this enchanted deck, head to the very bottom of the page.
Each card holds layers of meaning and here, those meanings unfold, with reflections on upright and reversed interpretations.
There is no single way to read the cards.
Let this guide be a companion, not a rulebook.
Scroll to begin.......
The Major Arcana
0 The Fool
Upright - New beginnings. Innocence. Spontaneity
Reversed - Recklessness. Fearlessness. Risks
I The Magician
Upright - Creation. Strength. Clarity
Reversed - Dark Powers. Manipulation. Narcissism
II High Priestess
Upright - Intuition. Divine Truth. Sensitivity
Reversed - Harm. Secrets. Hidden agenda.
III The Empress
Upright - Growth. Fertility. Beauty
Reversed - Selfishness. Impatience. Overwhelmed
IV The Emperor
Upright - Authority. Power. Stability
Reversed - Tyranny. Chaos. Anger
V The Hierophant
Upright - Tradition. Trust. Wisdom
Reversed - Misconception. Hypocrisy. Blind faith
VI The Lovers
Upright -Love. Passion. Union
Reversed - Suffering. Obedience. Conflict
VII The Chariot
Upright - Departure. Discipline. Courage
Reversed - Carelessness. Arrogance. Wanderlust
VIII Strength
Upright - Courage. Passion. Vitality
Reversed - Struggle. Pride. Weakness
IX The Hermit
Upright - Wisdom. Independence. Awareness
Reversed - Isolation. Resignation. Distance
X Wheel of Fortune
Upright - Fate. Karma. Unpredictable
Reversed - Negative phase. Bad luck. Lack of control
XI Justice
Upright - Judgement. Fairness. Clarity
Reversed - Unfairness. Guilt. Punishment
XII Hanged Man
Upright - Deep insight. Change. Release
Reversed - Standstill. Sacrifice. Lack of control
XIII Death
Upright - End. Letting go. New beginnings
Reversed - Stagnation. Holding on. Grief
XIV Temperance
Upright - Balance. Harmony. Patience
Reversed - Lack of balance. Extremes. Fragile.
XV The Devil
Upright - Temptation. Seduction. Materialism
Reversed - Freedom. Lack of will. Resentment
XVI The Tower
Upright - Disruption. Change of life. Awakening
Reverse - Collapse. Stormy times. Restlessness.
XVII The Star
Upright - Faith. Hope. Fortune
Reversed - Insecurity. Discouragement. Faithlessness
XVIII The Moon
Upright - Mysteries. Dreams. Foreboding
Reversed - Darkness. Fears. Insecurities
XIX The Sun
Upright - Pleasure. Rebirth. Light
Reversed - Negativity. Arrogance. Carelessness.
XX Judgement
Upright - Liberation. Redemption. Awakening
Reversed - Doubt. Punishment. Destruction
XXI The World
Upright - Arriving. Life. Spontaneity
Reversed - Incompletion. Emptiness. Lack of closure
Suit of Cups
Ace of Cups
Upright - Opportunity. Great Love. Joy
Reversed - Missed opportunity. Blocked creativity. Emotional loss
Two of Cups
Upright - Love. Friendship. Connection.
Reversed - Trust issues. Imbalance. Tension
Three of Cups
Upright - Offspring. Happiness. Gratitude.
Reversed - Distance. Gossip. Overindulgence
Four of Cups
Upright - Plateau. Bored. Disconnection
Reversed - Bitter. Angry. Apathy
Five of Cups
Upright - Insight. Knowledge. Sadness.
Reversed - Acceptance. Finding peace. Separation
Six of Cups
Upright - Romance. Love. Nostalgia
Reversed - Independence. Leaving. Moving forward
Seven of Cups
Upright - Warning. Hope. Choices
Reversed - Disappointment. Deception. False expectation
Eight of Cups
Upright - New future. Walking away. Disillusion
Reversed - Fear of loss. Poor timing. Uncertain future
Nine of Cups
Upright - Dreams. Enjoyment. Happiness.
Reversed - Sluggishness. Exaggeration. Lack of joy
Ten of Cups
Upright - Love. Satisfaction. Harmony
Reversed - Feeling neglected. Wrong timing. Shattered dreams
Page of Cups
Upright - Opportunity. Invitation. Affection
Reversed - Relationship problems. Oversensitivity. Misunderstanding
Knight of Cups
Upright - Romance. Infatuation. Well being.
Reversed - Empty promises. Moodiness. Fantasy
Queen of Cups
Upright - Empathy. Sacrifice. Patience.
Reversed - Mysticism. Darkness. Insecurity
King of Cups
Upright - Intense love. Psychic energy. Balance
Reversed - Coldness. Mocking. Warning
Suit of Coins
Ace of Coins
Upright - Happiness. Joy. New beginnings.
Reversed - Missed opportunity. Financial problems. Bad investments.
Two of Coins
Upright - Adaptation. Ease. Priorities.
Reversed - Loss of balance. Disorganized. Carefree.
Three of Coins
Upright - Completion. Teamwork. Good results
Reversed - Unfinished business. Frustration. Delay
Four of Coins
Upright - Security. Limit. Conservation
Reversed - Control. Standing still. Greed
Five of Coins
Upright - Poverty. Fear of loss. Isolation.
Reversed - Recovery. Hardship. Crisis
Six of Coins
Upright - Tolerance. Generosity. Helpfulness.
Reversed - Stinginess. Strings attached. Domination
Seven of Coins
Upright - Joy. Positive results. Patience
Reversed - Impatience. Doubt. Disillusion
Eight of Coins
Upright - Learning. Hard work. Beginning
Reversed - Inexperience. Ignorance. Feeling overworked
Nine of Coins
Upright - Success. Great love. Rewards
Reversed - Overspending. Materialism. Financial insecurity
Ten of Coins
Upright - Carefree. Harmony. Happy love
Reversed - Lack of stability. Money problems. Miscommunication
Page of Coins
Upright - Ambition. Diligence. Desire
Reversed - Missed opportunity. Laziness. Greed
Knight of Coins
Upright - Stability. Perseverance. Security.
Reversed - Stupidity. Exaggeration. Protentional dishonesty
Queen of Coins
Upright - Femininity. Fertility. Sensuality
Reversed - Indifference. Disappointment. Financial problems
King of Coins
Upright - Hard work. Will to succeed. Abundance
Reversed - Indulgence. Excess. Greed
Suit of Wands
Ace of Wands
Upright - Courage. Desire. Positivity
Reversed - Missed opportunity. Miscommunication. Delay
Two of Wands
Upright - Plans. Travel. New Ideas
Reversed - Indifference. Listlessness. Inner conflict
Three of Wands
Upright - Offspring. Happiness. Gratitude
Reversed - Obstacles. Delays. Frustration
Four of Wands
Upright - Peace. Happiness. Harmony
Reversed - Delays. Debauchery. Transience
Five of Wands
Upright - Strength. Competition. Conflict
Reversed - Bitter competition. Sick ambition. Untrustworthiness
Six of Wands
Upright - Victory. Success. Good news.
Reversed - Delay. Punishment. Excess pride
Seven of Wands
Upright - Victory. Hope. Defense.
Reversed - Giving up. Competition. Threat
Eight of Wands
Upright - Travel. Movement. Communication
Reversed - Uncertainty. Miscommunication. Frustration
Nine of Wands
Upright - Delimitation. Recognition. Strength
Reversed - Reluctance. Close-mindedness. Resistance
Ten of Wands
Upright - No perspective. Burden. Accomplishment
Reversed - Burnt out. Pressure. Overwhelmed
Page of Wands
Upright - Adventure. Chance. Growth
Reversed - Confusion. Miscommunication. Conflict
Knight of Wands
Upright - Fiery love. Self confidence. Motivation
Reversed - Impatience. Anger. Arguments
Queen of Wands
Upright - Pride. Femininity. Self confidence
Reversed - Aggressiveness. Selfishness. Insecurity
King of Wands
Upright - Security. Warmth. Strength
Reversed - Arrogance. Narcissism. Impulsive
Suit of Swords
Ace of Swords
Upright - Reason. Illuminating. Sharp Mind
Reversed - Separation. Difficult times. Confusion
Two of Swords
Upright - Indecision. Solutions. Difficulties
Reversed - Torn. Skepticism. Negative mind.
Three of Swords
Upright - Way out. Liberation. Heartbreak
Reversed - Insult. Fraud. Painful experience
Four of Swords
Upright - Rest. Relaxation. Patience.
Reversed - Standstill. Difficulties. Exclusion
Five of Swords
Upright - Unwinnable. Sneakiness. Defeat
Reversed - Hate. Power struggle. Ambush
Six of Swords
Upright - New beginning. Change. New love
Reversed - Fears. Worries. Farewell
Seven of Swords
Upright - Keen mind. Intelligence. Insecurity
Reversed - Hatred. Maliciousness. Rethinking
Eight of Swords
Upright - Overthinking. Self criticism. Entrapment.
Reversed - Inhibitions. Hidden personality. Lack of space
Nine of Swords
Upright - Stress. Anxiety. Hopelessness
Reversed - Hope. Despair. Fear of loss
Ten of Swords
Upright - Sudden ending. Failure. Backstabbing
Reversed - Inevitable end. Intellectual tyranny. Abrupt conclusion
Page of Swords
Upright - Clear mind. New experience. Adventure
Reversed - Discord. Conflicts. Tactlessness
Knight of Swords
Upright - Honesty. Opposition. Conflict
Reversed - Malice. Cynicism. Ridicule
Queen of Swords
Upright - Confident. Willing to learn. Equality
Reversed - Cynical. Distance. Sharp tongued
King of Swords
Upright - Intelligence. Clever mind. Problem solver
Reversed - Sneakiness. Irony. Cynicism
A brief history of tarot
Tarot originated in Northern Italy during the 1430s–1450s, not as a mystical tool, but as a card game for nobility called Tarocchini​. It evolved from standard playing cards by adding 22 trump cards to four suits. The cards transitioned to occult and divinatory use in the late 1700s, culminating in popular decks like Rider-Waite-Smith in 1909.
Tarot gradually transformed into one of the most enduring symbolic systems in Western mysticism. Occultists of the 18th and 19th centuries recognized in its imagery a map of spiritual evolution, a journey through archetypes such as The Fool, The High Priestess, and Death, each representing stages of transformation within the human soul.
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In modern witchcraft and divination practices, tarot is revered as both a practical and spiritual tool. It is used in ritual, spell work, shadow work, and fortune telling. It's not a rigid predictor of destiny, but a guide through the unseen currents of life. Each reading becomes a conversation between intuition and symbol, offering clarity, empowerment, and deeper connection to one’s path.
Within witchcraft and fortune-telling communities, tarot is cherished as a sacred tool of insight. It bridges intuition and imagination, the conscious and the unseen. A reading does not impose fate, but it reveals patterns, possibilities, and inner truths. Tarot endures because it speaks in symbols, and symbols, like forests and myths, never lose their power.
Forest Fable Tarot
This deck began with a single painting; a hare crowned with carrots, inspired by The Fool. When he was finished, I felt it immediately; his story wasn’t meant to stand alone. The rest of the story was waiting, they were all there, waiting to be brought to life. I knew I had to see the remaining 77 cards through.
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For years, I struggled to find a tarot deck that truly felt right I heard the same longing echoed by others... a desire for something deeper, something rooted. I wanted a deck that reminded us of where we come from. That we are not separate from the earth or its creatures, but part of the same breathing, living earth. We rise from the soil, and one day we return to it. That truth, our roots in the natural world, has always been the foundation of my work.
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Most of all, though, I wanted magic.
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I paint wildlife in a folkloric, whimsical way, and this deck became an extension of that. Each animal carries its own story, personality, and mythology. In giving them their own folklore, I hope they become familiar, reflections of ourselves in fur, feather, and antler.
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There is something in my art that sparks nostalgia for people, that wakes up something they have long forgotten but feel a pulling familiarity to. A magic and curiosity we recognize but maybe haven't found in a while. That is what I hope this deck brings to you; a comfortable, familiar magic that feels deep in the forest, like coming home.
-Chrystal
