Fortune Telling by Cards, by P.R.S. Foli, [1915], at sacred-texts.com
CHAPTER XVI
Your Heart's Desire
The wish with fifteen cards—Another way—The wish with thirty-two cards—What the four aces tell—The wish in seven packs—The wish card again.
The Wish with Fifteen Cards.
HAVING shuffled the cards well, select according to the second method the card which will represent the inquirer—a king for a man, a queen for a woman—and place this card on the table; then request your subject to wish for some one thing whilst he or she is shuffling the pack (which must only include the selected thirty-two cards). The pack must be cut once.
Take the cards, and holding them easily in your own hands, let the inquirer draw fifteen cards, placing them face downwards on the table, one on top of the other in the order drawn. The fifteen cards having been drawn, discard the others, and place the selected ones in position according to the following plan: The representative card is to be in the centre, and the other cards are to be placed to the left—to the right—above—below—and on the centre, one by one. Thus on the left you will have the first, sixth, and eleventh; on the right, the second, seventh, and twelfth; above, the third, eighth, and thirteenth; below, the fourth, ninth, and fourteenth; and on the representative card you will have placed the fifth, tenth, and fifteenth. (See diagram.)
Then take the left packet and turn and read according to the meaning in the combination of sevens. The next packet to be taken is the one on the right, then the one above, and following that the packet below. The left and top packets
represent events that may influence your wish in the future; the packets on the right and below show those events which have influenced it in the past; whilst those cards covering the representative card indicate affairs that may be expected immediately, and are to be read in strict reference to the wish.
Another Way with Fifty-two Cards.
Let the inquirer shuffle the cards well, and cut them into three packs, having first selected your representative card, as in the former method, and placed it in the centre of a circle.
Take up the packs and lay the cards in a circle, using forty-two, and with the remaining nine form a triangle inside the circle. The cards must be laid face down.
Now let the inquirer choose any fifteen cards, which must be faced upwards as he makes his selection. When fifteen cards are chosen, read the signification according to the meaning given in the combination of nines.
Generally speaking, if diamonds predominate the fortune will be fair; if hearts appear in the ascendant, love affairs are prosperous; clubs will show how material interests are progressing; and spades will prepare us for sorrow.
The Wish with Thirty-two Cards.
Take out all the twos, threes, fours, fives, and sixes from an ordinary pack. The inquirer must then shuffle the remaining thirty-two, cut with the left hand, and wish from the depths of the heart. The dealer places eight cards, face downwards, upon the table in a row before him. He next turns them up one by one, beginning from the left, and as soon as a pair of any kind, it does not matter what, be exposed, they must both be covered by cards taken from the pack in his hand. If they all pair off exactly, it may be taken as a sign that the inquirer's wish will be gratified, but if at any moment there are no pairs exposed, the fates are unpropitious, and the search for a favourable answer must be abandoned. Should most of the cards pair off, leaving only one, two, or three unmated, it portends delay and disappointment before the realisation of the desire.
What the Four Aces Tell.
Take the thirty-two cards up again, shuffle them, and mentally register your wish. The first thirteen cards must be turned up, and a careful search made for any aces that may be there. If found, place them on one side. The rest of the cards must be shuffled again and thirteen more dealt out, with a second search for aces. This is done a third time if all the four have not appeared; and if they still refuse to come, there is no hope of the wish being granted. It is the best possible omen if the four aces come out in the first deal, and very good luck if they arrive with only two attempts; but the third is the last chance, so the turning up of those thirteen cards is fraught with much excitement.
The Wish in Seven Packs.
This is a very simple method, but it is by no means always propitious to the inquirer; if, however, he does get the desired answer, we take it that the capricious goddess is in a very smiling mood.
Thirty-two cards are required, and they must be arranged in suits in the following order: Ace, king, queen, knave, ten, nine, eight, seven. The cards must not be shuffled, but the arranged pack is cut, with the left hand, into seven smaller packs, and all are placed face downwards upon the table.
The dealer must then proceed to turn up the top cards of each pack, and as a pair of queens, nines, knaves, or whatever they may happen to be becomes visible, he must remove them from the packs. Should all the cards pair off in this manner, the wish may be taken as one that will speedily be granted. Should the cards come out awkwardly, literally in sixes and sevens instead of pairs, the inquirer must adapt his desires to the inevitable with the best grace he can.
The Wish Card Again.
Yet a sixth way, which will give some idea if the heart's desire will be gratified, is as follows:—
Shuffle the whole pack of cards and give them to the
inquirer, who must then divide the pack into three, wishing intently all the time. Take up the packs separately and glance through them; the nine of hearts is the most important card, as that is the symbol of the wish. Should this be in juxtaposition to the card—the king or queen—representing the inquirer, and with favourable surroundings, then you may conclude that the things hoped for will come to pass. Also, if the wish card is in combination with cards that are an indication of the inquirer's desires, it is a favourable augury
For instance, if the wish referred to business, and the suit of clubs surrounded the nine of hearts, then it might be concluded that the matter would terminate in a prosperous manner. Diamonds, as they foretell wealth, would also pro muse prosperity; hearts imply good wishes and good will, whilst spades carry a sinister import.