Barbie Tarot: Minor Arcana Post 2

Because there are so many more Barbies than Kens and because there have been several Barbie series devoted entirely to princess dolls, I decided for the Minor Arcana court cards to use princesses and princes rather than pages and knights. In addition, all of the king cards portray a couple rather than a man alone, because in the world of Barbie, what is a king without his Barbie, anyway? As a result of these changes, the parallels with imagery on the Rider-Waite deck are not as direct, though I have attempted to maintain the meanings.

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Princess of Staffs      Princess of South Africa from the Princess Collection This doll is wearing a traditional Ndebele dress with tight rings around her neck and legs; she carries an engraved staff. The card symbolizes beauty, admiration and courage, and in a reading often indicates a messenger. (Rider-Waite)

Prince of Staffs      The Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz Symbol of a generous friend and sometimes a hasty journey, the Rider-Waite card shows a knight about to gallop off. Here the Tin Man is making progress along the Yellow Brick Road, though in the film he sometimes falls prey to the delays and interruptions that this card heralds when reversed. (Rider-Waite)

Queen of Staffs      The Faerie Queen from Legends of Ireland This card is the astrological equivalent of Leo, with each of the four suits representing an element (staffs are fire, hats air, flowers water and purses earth) and each of the three senior court cards representing a quality (cardinal, fixed or mutable). This Queen is fiercely protective of her home, strong and honorable but sometimes strict and jealous. Here her crown and scepter represent her royalty while her wings show that she has supernatural abilities. (Rider-Waite)

King of Staffs      The Phantom and Christine from The Phantom of the Opera Upright, this card portrays a kindly father figure, someone who is noble and affectionate; reversed, it signifies someone who is intolerant, unyielding and sometimes violent. The Phantom veers between passion and madness; there is no modulation, which seems at times to be true of his Don Juan Triumphant as well. (Rider-Waite)