Bob Schwartz

Coyote:

Today is the Day of Fools and I want to talk about the tarot.

Some say I am wise, some say I am a fool. I do not care what they say about me. I am both.

I do know something about fools. For example, above you see the first card of the tarot deck, The Fool. It is so basic that in some decks, such as Rider-Waite, it has no number. It is just zero.

The card shows The Fool at the edge of a cliff. This may remind you of the cartoon character Wile E. Coyote, who ends up at the edge of a cliff while chasing Road Runner.

This chase results in Coyote running beyond the cliff and crashing at the bottom of a ravine. I am not a fan of that character. It makes me look like an idiot, which I am not. In many cultures I am considered one of the most significant figures in all of creation. Roadrunner, the interesting bird who I do like and respect, is represented in the cartoon as much more clever than me. It is not.

I will also mention that The Fool is traveling with a little dog. I will admit that coyotes have been known from time to time to attack and eat small dogs. Very rarely. Coyotes can and will eat almost anything, so there is almost always something else to eat besides a dog in a backyard.

The Fool is associated with the Hebrew letter Aleph.

According to an expert:

The Fool is the innocent adventurer, about to begin an important journey. With a head full of hope, he is idealistic rather than practical; he is certainly not dressed for travel. The little dog at his heels tries to warn him of impending peril, but the Fool is blissfully ignorant of the risk he takes in stepping off a cliff. He is about to encounter danger, but how else can he make his way in the world?

We all begin life as a zero, a tiny egg of potential. The Fool is the cosmic egg, symbolized by the shape of his number, 0. As he journeys through the major arcana sequence, he is a part of every card, but he also stands outside the sequence, without a formal value. An absolute beginner, he is about to explore the world, gain experience, and leave behind his status as a zero, a no-being. He will travel lightly, without the baggage of commitment. The Fool is the dreamer, lead only by his needs and desires.

The Ultimate Guide to Tarot by Liz Dean

Today, the Day of Fools, be kind to everyone, the foolish and the wise.

© 2025 by Bob Schwartz