Kalevala Tarot - Ace of Stakes
By Kalervo Aaltonen & Taina Pailos
US Games Systems

The Ace of Stakes shows a large staff-shaped thing, composed of twisting snakes. They are all a red-gold color, orange, all point upwards, and all have their tongues out. The ground is green and brown, the background a red/black sky where lightning hits the ground.

The caption at the bottom says "Kaukomieli's blade". Kaukomieli is the handsome man with a far-roving mind of the Kalevala poems. He has a terrible weakness for beautiful women, and a temper. Which of course gets him in trouble.

The LWB: The power to do something will arise from the will to do it.
Reversed: You will have a reside of unexpressed energy.

In this card, energy moves up and down, one seemingly controlled, one obviously not. The snakes look like flames, in the way they twine and intertwine. This card speaks to me of the drive, the willpower, the desire to do something, to make it, achieve it. Definitely a card of impending action. The lightning-spark of creativity, the flash of insight, the burning need.

I think the later cards add control and focus, and this card is the raw energy, unformed, free, and unpredictable.

kerry