Michele Jackson sent a URL for the Storyteller Fool (called Seeker). I based it on The Wizard of Oz, but I don't limit the comparison to the Scarecrow.

My text for this card follows:

The Seeker (traditionally: The Fool) is taken from Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz, and the film based on that children's classic.

There is great power in a dreamer who seeks adventure for adventure's sweet sake. The four "seekers" represent the four elements/aspects of the individual: Dorothy: Pentacles or earth/manifestation; Scarecrow: Swords or air/intellect; Tin Man: Cups or water/emotions; and Lion: Wands or fire/action. We all possess these elements/aspects within us. When Dorothy sets out on her journey in the novel, it isn't because she has been thrust from the sky. She is frustrated with the humdrum Kansas farmlife that is her lot and desires to find something more. She has security (pentacles/earth), but believes that there is something better "out there." Each of the four "seekers" is searching for something outside of themselves, and each of them already possess what they believe they lack. The only way they can discover that they have the qualities they desire is through their journey on the yellow brick road of life. None of them carry "baggage" -- they find their answers without the trappings of possessions.

The four seekers must work together when they encounter the Wicked Witch of the West--all four aspects of self must synthesize when encountering difficulties on the journey to self-discovery. Each of the four show that they have what they believe they lack when they are in danger--when they are focused on protecting one another or getting closer to Emerald City, they forget to doubt themselves and leap into the chasms they most fear.

Artistic Symbolism:

The four "seekers" are linked; you can barely see where one body ends and another begins, which reflects their collective synthesis. Dorothy is seen with her basket and dog, reminiscent of the more traditional Fool with his belongings gathered together in a pouch on a wooden stick and a white dog yapping at his heels. The house often symbolizes the ego or persona, and the fact that it is spinning, circling in the tornado indicates that the Seeker is being totally uprooted. But even so, the house and Dorothy land together--it follows her despite the swirling storm. Notice how the red shoes glisten at the foot of the yellow brick road. They provide a shining counterpoint to the sheen of Emerald City, showing that Dorothy's sparkle is part of her essence, even as she seeks it elsewhere.

Interpretation:

When this card appears in a reading, it is a sign of upcoming, unexpected adventure. You may initially fear such a literally full-scale thrust into a new framework, but if you adapt yourself to your changed surroundings, you are bound to grow, thrive, and enjoy a new understanding of yourself. This card can also indicate a stubborn refusal to accept or adapt to change, and you may be clinging to your misery blanket, determined to remain unhappy unless you allow your potential for joy to emerge. You might want to revert to childish behavior, looking toward that greener pasture that is just beyond your own, instead of recognizing your many sources of true satisfaction.

Diane
dwilkes@erols.com

The Old Grey Cat
http://www.geocities.com/~oldgreycat/