Appendix
A. Summary of the 36 cards
| # | Card | FR | Playing card | Keywords | Tone in the original text |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rider | Cavalier | 9♥ | news · messages · arrival | Favourable |
| 2 | Clover | Feuille de trèfle | 6♦ | small luck · a lucky break · chance | Depends on position |
| 3 | Ship | Vaisseau | 10♠ | travel · distance · trade | Favourable |
| 4 | House | Maison | K♥ | home · family · security | Favourable |
| 5 | Tree | Arbres | 7♥ | health · slow growth · roots | Depends on position |
| 6 | Clouds | Nuages | K♣ | confusion · doubt · uncertainty | Depends on position |
| 7 | Snake | Serpent | Q♣ | complication · deceit · desire | Unfavourable |
| 8 | Coffin | Cercueil | 9♦ | ending · closure · illness | Unfavourable |
| 9 | Bouquet | Bouquet de fleurs | Q♠ | gift · pleasure · invitation | Favourable |
| 10 | Scythe | Faux | J♦ | sudden cut · decision · danger | Depends on position |
| 11 | Whip (Rod) | Verge | J♣ | conflict · argument · repetition | Unfavourable |
| 12 | Birds | Oiseaux | 7♦ | conversation · chatter · nerves | Depends on position |
| 13 | Child | Enfant | J♠ | new start · small · innocence | Favourable |
| 14 | Fox | Renard | 9♣ | cunning · self-interest · work | Depends on position |
| 15 | Bear | Ours | 10♣ | strength · authority · protection | Depends on position |
| 16 | Stars | Étoile | 6♥ | hope · guidance · clarity | Depends on position |
| 17 | Stork | Cigogne | Q♥ | change · moving house · improvement | Favourable |
| 18 | Dog | Chien | 10♥ | friend · loyalty · trust | Depends on position |
| 19 | Tower | Haute tour | 6♠ | institution · authority · solitude | Depends on position |
| 20 | Garden | Jardin | 8♠ | public · society · gathering | Depends on position |
| 21 | Mountain | Montagne | 8♣ | obstacle · delay · challenge | Depends on position |
| 22 | Crossroads (Paths) | Chemins | Q♦ | choice · options · decision | Depends on position |
| 23 | Mice | Souris | 7♣ | loss · erosion · worry | Depends on position |
| 24 | Heart | Cœur | J♥ | love · affection · warmth | Favourable |
| 25 | Ring | Anneau | A♣ | commitment · contract · marriage | Depends on position |
| 26 | Book | Livre | 10♦ | secret · knowledge · study | Depends on position |
| 27 | Letter | Lettre | 7♠ | written message · document · news | Depends on position |
| 28 | Gentleman (Man) | Monsieur | A♥ | the querent (male) · a man · partner | Significator |
| 29 | Lady (Woman) | Dame | A♠ | the querent (female) · a woman · partner | Significator |
| 30 | Lilies | Lis | K♠ | peace · maturity · virtue | Depends on position |
| 31 | Sun | Soleil | A♦ | success · energy · confidence | Depends on position |
| 32 | Moon | Lune | 8♥ | recognition · reputation · emotions | Depends on position |
| 33 | Key | Clef | 8♦ | solution · certainty · access | Depends on position |
| 34 | Fish | Poissons | K♦ | money · business · abundance | Depends on position |
| 35 | Anchor | Ancre | 9♠ | stability · endurance · security | Depends on position |
| 36 | Cross | Croix | 6♣ | burden · hardship · duty | Unfavourable |
B. Playing-card insets
Every card carries a playing card from 6 to Ace in all four suits, exactly 36 cards, inherited from the Game of Hope. This table was checked against the BnF deck and a modern deck, and they agree.[6][1]
C. Tone of the original texts
Grouped from the text printed on the Bruges cards, not from modern opinion. Most cards 'depend on position', which shows how central the near-and-far rule was to the traditional reading.[1]
D. The 36 houses of the Grand Tableau
Left to right, top to bottom, in the 4×9 layout most modern readers use with houses.[15][16]
1Ridernews · messages
2Cloversmall luck · a lucky break
3Shiptravel · distance
4Househome · family
5Treehealth · slow growth
6Cloudsconfusion · doubt
7Snakecomplication · deceit
8Coffinending · closure
9Bouquetgift · pleasure
10Scythesudden cut · decision
11Whip (Rod)conflict · argument
12Birdsconversation · chatter
13Childnew start · small
14Foxcunning · self-interest
15Bearstrength · authority
16Starshope · guidance
17Storkchange · moving house
18Dogfriend · loyalty
19Towerinstitution · authority
20Gardenpublic · society
21Mountainobstacle · delay
22Crossroads (Paths)choice · options
23Miceloss · erosion
24Heartlove · affection
25Ringcommitment · contract
26Booksecret · knowledge
27Letterwritten message · document
28Gentleman (Man)the querent (male) · a man
29Lady (Woman)the querent (female) · a woman
30Liliespeace · maturity
31Sunsuccess · energy
32Moonrecognition · reputation
33Keysolution · certainty
34Fishmoney · business
35Anchorstability · endurance
36Crossburden · hardship
E. Glossary
- Significator
- The card that stands for the querent; traditionally 28 for a man and 29 for a woman.
- Querent
- The person asking the question.
- Grand Tableau
- A layout using all 36 cards at once.
- House
- A position in the Grand Tableau carrying the meaning of the card with the same number.
- Near & Far
- The rule that cards near the significator act more strongly than distant ones.
- Knighting
- Finding linked cards by moving like a chess knight from the significator.
- Playing-card inset
- The small playing card shown on each card, inherited from the Game of Hope.
- Petit Lenormand
- The 36-card Lenormand deck, as opposed to the 54-card Grand Jeu.