Livre du Destin (Book of Fate)

 

This deck contains only 32 cards. 33 if you count the significator card. It should be a cakewalk, right?

It isn't, at least not at first. It's one of those decks with a lot of people cards, so you need to work out their meanings for when they come up in a spread and are not people.

The LWB isn't much help. No. 11 Jack of Spades/Man From the Country, for instance, is said to mean "deceit in business, rivalry, enemy." That doesn't work with the image. It's a better fit for the Vera Sibilla Enemy card, for instance  - that one looks over-the-top sinister! He's sneaking hurriedly by, looking back over his shoulder, and carrying a viper. 

Here's the Livre du Destin card. He's doffed his hat, and he holds a bouquet. He looks like a nice guy. Sure, people can be two faced. But cards are a visual language. If he was up to no good, it would show.

Some time ago, Benebell Wen posted Etteilla meanings for this deck. Those aren't correct either, but some of them do fit. I like the idea of Man From The Country being a naive farm boy type: "Traditional values, but one who does not have the cunning, experience, or sharpness of insight to get ahead; honest but indolent; benign effect." 

On the other hand, she lists "admonish" for No. 30 Gossip. There is no one being admonished on this card, it's simply gossip.

And that's the key to the deck: you have to apply logic and find what works. If you've used other Parlor Oracles (Parlor Sibyl, Vera Sibilla, Kippers, Bohemian cards, etc.) that's half the battle. All of these decks have some cards in common.

The Grimaud/France Cartes version, sadly, is out of print. But it's public domain, so it won't be going away any time soon. I got a lovely mini version from the Shamankae Etsy shop here. The stock she uses is wonderful - it looks like old matte paper stock, but it can flex without creasing. Give the deck a tiny pinch of zinc stearate fanning powder and it will riffle and bridge beautifully.

Or you can download the scans and have them printed at PrinterStudio or the Make Playing Cards site.

The LWB that comes with the Grimaud deck includes reversed meanings. The sheet that comes with the little Shamankae deck (It's identical to the Etteilla meanings mentioned earlier) does not. Using reversals is definitely an option, but it isn't needed since the cards can and do modify each other. A good card can be spoiled and a bad one rendered neutral sans reversals.

Nobody likes to assign significators by hair color and complexion these days, and rightly so. But it's impossible to avoid in this deck. You can make it work by putting the Courts in context. Every race has a spectrum of skin tones, so read accordingly. If you don't do this, your deck becomes near-useless since it would only talk about white people.

The following are the interpretations I'm currently using. I might edit them as time goes by and I find more incisive ones. I offer them as suggestions only, I don't have any One True Parisian Method, if such a thing even exists. The good news is that common cartomancy meanings will often fit. With the courts especially, I  was able to source bits from Minetta, Martello and others.

Everyone is welcome to use these as they see fit. I only ask that you give proper attribution and link back to this blog if you decide to share this.
 

1. A Man of Law (KH) - Judge, authority, family man, rules, laws, protective, kind, may be unreliable
2. A Chamberlain (JH) - Privileged man, authority figure, achievement, honors, Cupid, delays in love

3. A Widower (KS) - Loss that still impacts, divorced or widowed older man, solitary life, maybe enemy

4. A Man with Brown Hair (KC) - Socially active man, generally married, power granted by hard work
5. A Fair Lady (QH) - Family orientated, mother, wife, sister, aunt. Trustworthy, introverted, creative.
6. Hope (QD) - Success, opportunity, you will prevail.

7. Widow (QS) - Widow or divorced woman. Can be spiteful, catty, gossipy, delights in scandal
8. A Dark Lady (QC) - May be a professional, business, or career woman. Flirtatious, good humor.
9. A Fair Haired Young Man (JH) - Extrovert, cultivates a good reputation,

10. A Soldier (JD) - Strategize, apply Sun Tzu, formulate a decisive plan and you will prevail
11. A Man From the Country (JS) - "Farm boy", naive, honest. Good work ethic, simple life.*
12. A Dark Haired Young Man (JC) - Ambitious, status seeking, social climbing
13. The House (AH) - Home, stability, security

14. The Business Letter (AD) - Bank note, important letter, official document. 
15. Love (AS) - Affairs of the heart, mind card, what affects the mind

16. Money (AC) - Money, productivity, gains
17. Marriage (10H) - Alliance, union, good omen for love
18. Trap or Treachery (10D) - Treachery afoot! Being lured into a compromising position.
19. Prudence or Night (10S) - Warning against dangers and ill intentioned people in your inner circle.
20. Merchant (10C) - Business negotiations. Good for the upcoming fiscal quarter.
21. Success (9H) - good omen, all will be well. Wish card. "Everything's coming up roses!"
22. A Journey (9D) - Trip, journey.
23. Illness (9S) - Bad omen, difficulties, obstacles, can be literal illness
24. A Gift or Surprise (9C) - Sudden and unexpected gift, stroke of luck, endowment or favor

25. A Fair Haired Girl (8H) - Naive and idealistic
26. News (8D) - Positive omen, good news
27. Trouble (8S) - Yearning, depression
28. A Dark Maiden (8C) - Pragmatic, social climbing, covets higher status
29. With Child (7H) - Fertility, potential, abundance
30. Gossip (7D) - Literal gossip, libel, slander
31. Faithlessness (7S) - Fickle, unreliable. Future is uncertain, cannot determine outcome at this time
32. Love Letter (7C) - Happiness from interpersonal relationships. Affectionate communications.

*"Good work ethic, simple life" suggested by Hugh. Thank you! https://thefortunetellerssociety.com/blog/