the cards of the minor arcana suit of SWORDS

  The image on the left depicts a statute of a prominent “thinker” from the times of old enjoying a clear view of the city from up above.  Down below, there is a cold well that dispenses to the public the “waters of wisdom” that are sanctified with the power of clear reasoning and sound logic. 

The image on the right depicts two men trying to reach a compromise over a goat. Both men know who the rightful owner is, including the goat himself. However, it is not so easy to resolve this situation because the daughter of one of the men is pregnant by the son of the other, and the wedding has not yet occurred.

If the rightful owner insists upon keeping his goat, the other may sabotage his daughter’s wedding! And, therefore, the righteous man is wise to use any means possible to achieve a compromise – and avoid a scandal – even if it means buying back his own goat. 

  The image on the left depicts a young maiden who has been left at the altar – and she is inconsolable! Her father is trying to talk some sense into her. He warned her about the man she was about to marry – but she did not believe him! Since she did not heed her father’s warning, she is just as much to blame for what happened as the man who left her. A painful lesson, but nonetheless, a lesson learned!

  The image on the right depicts a woman busy with mending her dress that she tore while walking in her parlor. Something is heavy on her mind: her son unexpectedly invited her to pay him a visit halfway across the world.  Because the woman and her son had a falling out in the past, she is still torn about her feelings for him, and whether she is ready to mend their relationship at this time. She also wonders about her son’s true motivation behind his sudden invitation. Too many questions arise in her mind and, at this time, she would rather be left alone. 

The image on the left depicts a woman covered with a veil and grieving over the loss of her butler. She has been mistreating him for years, and he finally had enough and left! He was a close friend and confidante to her all these years, and now she is completely alone. The woman simply harmed herself with her pettiness and her nasty attitude, and she is now grieving – which serves her just right! 

As for the butler, he suffered abuse for years without asserting himself. After learning to be confident and speak his mind, he has found a position with a kind and generous duke who treats him with consideration and respect.  

  The image on the right depicts a young lady getting ready to sail away from her troubles. She has had a bad experience with one of her college professors – she fell in love with him before discovering that he was already married. When she found out, she realized that, given her circumstances, she would be better off changing schools and cutting her losses by physically moving away from what no longer serves her. 

The image on the left depicts a ship engulfed in flames and ready to blow up! The fire is high and the heat is heavy – so stay away from this wreckage for your dear life!

The image on the right depicts an intern majoring in archeology who volunteered for a free but cozy gig to assist with taking the inventory of the artifacts being excavated from the ruins of the ancient Pompeii. Such internship is sure to give her significant credit with her school and help her graduate with great honors! 

Little did she know, for when she arrived to the archeological site, not only all of her luggage was stolen by the local thieves, but her job turned out to be completely non-existent, as someone made an error in the job posting, making her believe she would be “taking the inventory” instead of “carrying the inventory.” She is in a quite a bit of quandary now for she needs to decide what to do – as quickly as she can!  She would have to borrow the money from her grandmother to buy a plane ticket to return home, however, her phone and her address book are also gone, and she has no idea what to come next!

  The image on the left depicts a Duchesses in her prison cell chained to the floor. She was thrown into prison because she wanted to overthrow the Queen and, thereby, created a nightmare for herself. She once lived in her own castle, but now she dines with the mice and cannot take a bath. The sea tides outside her citadel rise and fall – flooding her cell and soaking her bed. The mold on her walls, the mice on her pillow, and the chain on her foot – she owes the Queen an apology and a confession – to relieve her conscience and to save her life!

  The image on the right depicts a woman lying face down on the ground on a sidewalk covered with blood. How did she end up in this situation?

  The image on the left depicts a young girl ready to unleash her opinion with her gunfire of blunt honesty. She is still in school, but she gives her mother and father advice on how to best manage their affairs and, most of the time, she happens to be right! Her parents could learn a lot from her, but they hate it when she is always right. They constantly try to create chores for her to do so they could shut that little mouth!

  The image on the right depicts a fellow who has been ordained through time as a leader of a rebel movement. He has fought many battles – some of which he has lost, but they only made him stronger and instilled a desire to see things through to the inevitable end – no matter the cost. Rain or shine, the Knight of Swords is ready to “wreak havoc” on his opponents, and “drive them into the ground” with his quick wit and boundless courage.

  The image on the left depicts a Queen with heavy eyelids while staring down at her subjects. She is all-seeing, and she conveys unvarnished truth whether you like to hear it or not – so stay away from her if you cannot look the truth straight in the eye! She despises all those who are afraid of the truth for she knows that it is only a matter of time before all will be exposed, and she will be there to tell one and all: “I told you so!”

The image on the right depicts an old King engaged in profound meditation before he delivers his next verdict. You will not find a better judge of character and matters at hand than this wise and compassionate King! He is very fair and often quite lenient, for he knows human nature and that everybody needs “a break” sometimes. A great listener, he can tell what is in your heart, and he will put himself in your shoes to help you see the best solution to any situation.