Tarot Cafe Vol. 3


Tarot Cafe - vol 3 by Sang-Sun Park

Tarot Cafe – Volume 3 takes us to Pamela’s past again. We take a journey to the Ottoman Empire, and also find ourselves back in 13th century Scotland. The heavy story lines of the past several episodes are broken up thanks to a tasty sandwich.

The episodes in this volume are:

  1. The Star of Jealousy
  2. Lady of the Lake
  3. Dragon Heart

Synopsis of The Star of Jealousy

This episode opens with Aaron asking Pamela and Belus about their relationship. Pamela reveals that they are bound by a contract–she is to find all the beads of Berial’s necklace in return for something form Belus. Pamela shows Aaron the beads she has collected, and then tells the story of how she obtained the one main stone she has found.

We find ourselves in the year 1529, somewhere in the Ottoman Empire. Pamela has travelled there as a soothsayer, and is giving a reading to the Sultan.1 When she draws the Six of Cups, the Sultan launches into a story about a Greek slave, Leart, who became his friend and lover. The jealous Sultana, however, tricks the boy and caused him to deify the Sultan. Leart is harshly punished, and the Sultana, remorseful, helps the him to escape. The Sultan is told Leart has died, but he knows the boy is still alive. He asks Pamela to find him and give him a small package, which she does.

As Pamela finishes her story, Belus leaves the cafe and goes to the church where Ash and Pamela were held prisoner (episode 7). There he meets an unnamed figure, and we learn that there is some connection between the two.

Synopsis of Lady of the Lake

Pamela’s latest customer arrives, telling the tale of a beautiful young woman he meet on the shore of a lake. She called herself Cheese, and continually asked for bread and cheese to eat. Pamela identifies the girl as a gwraig annwn2, a lake spirit who rides in a golden boat and eats bread and cheese.

The man continues, telling of how the two feel in love. However, one night he returned home from work to find Cheese eating bread with another man. Enraged, he slaps her. She runs away and refuses to return. Pamela tells the man that if gwraig annwns are hit three times they must return to their lake. The man realizes that he accidentally hit her two other times, and is crushed. Pamela suggests that if they both want to be together there may be a solution to the problem. The man leaves with his spirits lifted. A short time later, Pamela gets a letter from the man, who’s name is revealed to be Bread, and we learn how Bread and Cheese figured out how to live happily ever after.

Synopsis of Dragon Heart

As this episode begins, we are introduced to Alecto and an albino fortuneteller named Cora. Alecto is search for Pamela, intent on getting revenge for the death of his friend–Ashe, Pamela’s lover from the past. Alecto recounts some of his past to Cora, and she tells him that two coins will lead him to Pamela.

Alecto finds Pamela and confronts her about Ashe’s disappearance. As they argue, Ashe (from episode 7) walks into the Cafe. Alecto kidnaps this Ashe, convinced that it is his missing friend. Alecto tries to get Ashe to remember his past, but ends up causing Ashe a great deal of pain. Suddenly, the mysterious Berial appears and we are left wondering what the became of Ashe and Alecto.

Tarot decks used in this volume

  • Aquarian Tarot by David Palladini – this is the deck used by Pamela in her modern readings
  • Art Nouveau by Antonella Castelli (published by Lo Scarabeo) – pg. 5, 39, 63
  • Visconti Tarot (published by Llewellyn Publications) – used by Pamela when reading for the Sultan
  • Tarot of the Moon Garden by Karen Marie Sweikhardt (published by U.S. Games Systems) – pg. 77
  • Dragon Tarot by Peter Pracownik (published by U.S. Games Systems) – pgs. 101, 125, 149
  • Chinese Tarot by Jui Guoliang (published by U.S. Games Systems) – used by Cora in episode 10


Notes:

1. Pamela is using the Visconti-Sfroza deck, which was created sometime in the 15th century in Italy. At that time, the cards were one of a kind, and not available to anyone of the lower classes. You can learn more here: Tarot History – The Visconti-Sfroza Tarot Deck

2. Read more about gwraig annwns here: Welsh Folk-lore, Fairy Mythology, Legends and Traditions: Chapter III: Lake Fairies