Dark Fairytale Tarot

The Dark Fairytale Tarot draws from the non-sanitised concept of the fairy tales of old. Generally with this deck you’re not going to experience Disney-esque endings. When they do appear they come with a reminder that there’s always a price to pay. And yet, even though this deck focuses on the darker side of the fae, I wouldn’t say this is a dark deck. Rather I’d say this is an honest deck that can help you to uncover and own your true ideals, or help you to recognise and acknowledge the price you pay if you ignore them.

The Dark Fairytale Tarot Cards

From the outset this deck is different. Even the cards, such as the 6 of Swords and the 2 of Swords pictured above, that look oh so familiar have a different and yet in keeping message to share. For the 2 of Swords the book reads, ‘Suspended between knowledge and ignorance, peace of mind is a delicate balance and a terrible compromise’ rather than the usual need-to-make-a-decision type message. This meaning urges you to think about the decision you’re making.

I have to admit that when I first flicked through this deck I wasn’t overly taken with it. My initial reaction was that it was probably better suited to a younger audience. However, when I randomly opened the LWB and read the above message for the 2 of Swords my attitude changed. Looking at the price we pay for our choices in this way really struck a chord with me and made me want to explore the deck further. During the deck interview, this message came through. “You can’t have it all, but you can have what you want. What you want comes at a price though. What are you willing to pay?” It left me with a lot to think about.

The 6 of Swords is also highly recognisable. However, the book reminds that ‘No river is wide enough to leave all our troubles behind. No journey is long enough to escape from the demons of the mind.’ Many times in my life I’ve wanted to physically flee my troubles, but fortunately to date, I haven’t managed to do so. That is not to say there aren’t situations that people should leave as soon as is possible. I have never found myself in one of those situations though. I feel the point this card is making is that whilst we need to leave situations that aren’t healthy for us, we also need to understand that leaving alone is not enough. We also need to heal the damage that has been done.

Now, thanks to the Wizards Tarot, I’ve just started reading the Harry Potter series. Yes, even though I bought the series for my children when they were young, I have never got past book two. I had to read book one for uni but that’s different. Anyhow, as a result, the mirror on the 10 of Pentacles made me think of the Mirror of Esired that appears in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Rather than seeing your reflection, this mirror reflects your greatest desires.

Since my greatest desire is to leave something for my children and grandchildren that helps them in some way, this card made sense. As did the book meaning – ‘Wealth holds a mirror to the wealthy, showing them everything they have gained and everything they have lost.’ Whether the wealth referred to is material or not, choices are made and each have consequences. Yes this is an ongoing theme throughout this deck. Obviously this is always the case. Nevertheless, the Dark Fairytale Tarot doesn’t let you forget it or dismiss this truth. Plus I can’t help but notice that every deck I’m reviewing at the moment returns me to Chaos Theory and the Butterfly Effect.

The 10 of Cups doesn’t lighten the message either. It would be nice to dwell in the fantasy of the 10 of Cups but here the book adds, ‘True contentment can only be found in dreams, in castles in the air, as ephemeral as a rainbow.’ I’m sure I’m not the only one who struggles with opposing dreams. As the cards reminded me during my initial discussion with them, the idea of having it all is an illusion. The Dark Fairytale Tarot is really pushing me to own my reality, make a choice, and commit to a path.

If you want a deck that lets you sit on the fence, or gives you the “warm and fuzzies”, then this definitely isn’t what you’re after. When you want/need to face some harsh truths that you can’t gloss over then this deck is perfect. I think the Dark Fairytale Tarot would team really well with the Good Tarot. Together they could deliver what you need to hear and a way to deal with the situation. I haven’t tried this as yet. It’s just an idea that came to me.

It would also pair well with the Forest of Enchantment Tarot or the Green Witch Tarot. I don’t normally react to decks by thinking about which ones to pair with them but for some reason I feel any of these combinations would provide a more complete picture. This deck makes you face things more directly. The others could then help point the way forward. As I said before, just a thought.

The Dark Fairytale Tarot is definitely not my usual aesthetic choice either. I wouldn’t say any of the images jump out at me and make me want to add them to my ongoing list of favourites. Most decks have at least one. I mean I like the 10 of Pentacles, the 10 of Cups and the XVIII Moon, (each pictured earlier) and IX Hermit and 0 The Fool pictured above. After all, 0 The Fool reminds me of Ciro Marchetti’s artwork. I like it but it’s not a favourite. Maybe this deck has just unsettled me more than others and once I go through the changes that I feel compelled to make, I will see it anew. If I do I’ll add to the end of this review. For now though, as strange as I know it sounds, even though I don’t “like” it, I actually love it.

So many aspects of the card details appeal to me. For example, the repeat of the violin on the 3 of Swords and the 8 of Cups stood out to me. Its presence on the 3 of Swords can be interpreted in many ways. Seeing it reappear on the 8 of Cups with the idea that it’s time to move on is a great connection. It suggests that whilst you can’t necessarily completely let go of sorrow, you can eventually move on. And just like that, I’m reminded of the 6 of Swords and a sense of hope is restored. The jump from the three to the eight points out there are some stages to navigate but ultimately after the eight comes the 9 of Cups.

The book meaning, ‘When the moon sings its song of darkness and despair, there is nothing too precious to be abandoned,’ is a powerful way to express the 8 of Cups. To sit it alongside the 2 of Swords discussed earlier, a challenging and yet honest reality about choice is presented. Often times we know the choice we would like to make. We’re just not sure we want to face the consequences. Hence the easiest choice to make is generally the one that’s more widely accepted by others. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean it’s the right one for us or the one we actually want to choose. The Dark Fairytale Tarot highlights the true costs of our choices.

I also love that on the 5 of Cups pictured below I find I keep looking for the fifth cup. What a different mindset that produces. And on the 4 of Pentacles he’s releasing the pentacles rather than holding on to them. ‘It is better to love what one has than be destroyed by it. Possession can be a prison filled with pain and doubt.’ For me, this rendering of the 4 of Pentacles radiates power. There’s a sense of strength, freedom and self-belief. But, that’s enough about my takes on the cards.

Physically, they are really easy to work with. They measure 6.5 x 12 cm, and are printed on flexible card stock with a satin finish. This makes them well suited to all shuffling methods. Each suit is distinguished by both a different coloured border and a symbol. I’m not a huge fan of the fact that the court, (knave, knight, queen and king), are identified symbolically. However, the key for the symbols is located on the first page of the book so that helps to reduce any possible confusion. The suits are cups, wands, swords and pentacles with Justice as VIII and Strength as XI. Even though it is said that this deck is influenced by both the Thoth and RWS systems, standard RWS titles are applied to the Major Arcana.

The Dark Fairytale Tarot Book

Okay that should read booklet. As is typical of many Lo Scarabeo decks, this one comes with a LWB printed in five languages (English, Italian, Spanish, French and German). The English section is 12 pages long. It’s hard to believe that last week I was reviewing a deck with a 235-paged, full-colour book and this week the accompanying information is this minimal and yet I have to admit it has granted me many insights. It opens by explaining the inspiration for the deck before proceeding on to the card meanings. I’ve already given examples of the type of interpretations you’ll find. They are all written along the same vein as what I’ve previously mentioned.

Their is only one spread included. What I found interesting is the approach taken to working with the spread. ‘The cards should be read as though they are a story, a fairy tale.’ Fair enough. That is how I approach all spreads. However then it goes on, ‘If the journey or the destination is not satisfactory, the spread should be repeated. Each spread will tell a different tale, a different entry point into Faery, a different journey and destination. Use the spread to explore the roads of Faery until the right path is found.’ Normally, I would not use this approach and I haven’t but, with this deck, I can see how it could be applicable. It pushes us to decide upon and define our own path.

Spread

The spread included is unique to this deck:

• The Road Through Faery (6 cards)

I really liked this spread and I feel I will use it with other decks. I’ll just tweak the wording of the card placements so they are applicable to whichever cards I’m using. Like the Ace of Pentacles pictured above, this deck offers so much. Nevertheless for it to work its magic, you need to actively engage with it as suggested by the Ace of Wands also above.

This is not a casual deck that you ask a few trivial questions. Not that I believe there is actually anything truly random or trivial in the questions we ask but I’m sure you get what I mean. This deck impacts your thinking. I find this an engrossing yet challenging deck. As much as I have benefitted from working with it I would not recommend it for beginners though. There’s enough to learn when you’re starting out without everything being turned on its head.

Publishing Details

Deck Creator:

Raffaele De Angelis

Pictured Version:

Originally published by Lo Scarabeo in 2012. My edition was printed in 2021.