Random Reading - #45

This week I’m using the new deck I mentioned last week. As they’re essentially the same deck illustrated by different artists (more on that after the RR), I thought I’d use the same “spread” for comparison.

Our “subject” is the Widower: a married, widowed or divorced man.

Favourable – Jealousy and Money:
Do not believe the negative gossip about your work situation…

Unfavourable – Game* and Judge:
Your colleagues are envious of your relationship with the boss

If you’re your own boss, it’s just a case of your success getting up other people’s noses. Don’t let it get to you. This could even point to your own negative self-talk when you compare your efforts to those you look up to. It has no foundation in truth.


*Notice the use of the “German” playing card suits – acorn, leaf, heart and bell – in the Game card. Their use spread to all areas that were once under German or Austrian control.

This deck, again just called “Vykládací Karty”, Reading Cards, was illustrated by Jiří Běhounek, a Czech illustrator and painter, and appears to have been published in 1960 (a good year 🙄). Both this and the Tesař deck I used last week were published by Obchodní tiskárny Kolin (now OTK Group) of Prague. Both decks contain 36 cards, all but six of which match those of the, also Central European, “Zigeuner” decks.

Interestingly, the titles on the Tesař deck are in Czech (as well as German, French and English), whereas on this deck they're in Slovak.

Běhounek was mainly known for his book illustrations, and his style here is gentler and more whimsical than the gritty “cubist linocut” approach of Tesař the graphic designer.

And I love them both. 💕