My Love Affair With the Tarots
The Cups in the Kingdom. The Full Measure
The Page of Cups
I’m growing quite fond of the Page. How about you? He is so different in each of his posturings. In all of them, though, the constant is his enthusiastic inexperience.
Foremost in this card is the Page’s full-flowered vanity — from his designer hat, puffy blouse, and flowered outer garment. (In the actual Smith/Waite card, his blouse is more the color of pink than red, which is important since red carries the symbol of undiluted passion.)
Most significant is the cup he holds so inconsequentially in his hand. He is gazing at it curiously. Or rather gazing at the fish that in its turn is staring back at the Page. His posture does not suggest “giving of the cup” but holding it out in front of him to study.
Here, the fish, on one level, signifies anything that is out of its element. A fish out of water. It doesn’t belong in the rarified air (certainly not in a cup) and soon will die if not released back to the water. On another level, the fish is symbolic of Christianity and was used in the early days of the Church for one believer to identify another believer while keeping the non-believer in the dark.
