Tarot of the Little Prince - RWS structure with literary symbolism
A tarot deck based on a literary work can go two ways. It can translate the story into tarot, or it uses the book's fame as decoration. This deck does the former. Martina Rossi and Rachel Paul place the characters from The Little Prince within the Rider-Waite-Smith structure and let them function as archetypes.
The king, the geographer, the fox, the rose: each finds a place within the Major and Minor Arcana. The system is familiar to anyone who knows RWS. The imagery adds a layer that works if you have read the book.
What you see on the cards
The style is soft and dreamlike. Martina Rossi uses pastel colours and a painterly approach that keeps the nostalgic tone of the original. The Little Prince returns throughout, as do the iconic rose and fox.
The symbolism follows the Rider-Waite tradition. Wands, cups, swords and pentacles are present and recognisable. The characters from the book function as human figures within that structure. The geographer becomes the Hermit, the king fits into the Emperor.
All 78 cards are fully illustrated. The cardstock is flexible with a matte finish, which makes shuffling easier. The format is standard: 65 x 118 mm.
How it relates to the story
This deck works best if you know Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's book. The strength lies in recognition. The fox who says 'you are responsible for what you have tamed' takes on a different weight when you see him again in a tarot card about relationships.
At the same time, the deck stands alone. The RWS structure means you do not need to know the story to read the cards. It helps, though.
Pull a card when you notice you are thinking too rationally about a question. The imagery of this deck pushes you towards intuition and feeling.
Who this deck is designed for
Rachel Paul, who developed the concept, focuses on accessible tarot. This deck follows that line. It is suitable for beginners because it follows the Rider-Waite structure and because the symbolism from the book helps remember meanings.
At the same time there is a deeper layer for those who read the story of the Little Prince as a philosophical essay. The themes about responsibility, connection and what truly matters run through the card meanings.
About Rachel Paul and Martina Rossi
Rachel Paul creates tarot and oracle decks and is known for her ability to translate emotional themes into workable cards. For this deck she collaborated with Italian illustrator Martina Rossi.
Rossi's style is characterised by soft colours and a painterly approach. Her work for this deck preserves the tenderness of the original book and adds the details needed for a tarot reading.
Specifications
- Number of cards: 78 (Major and Minor Arcana)
- Size: 65 x 118 mm
- Material: flexible cardstock with matte finish
- Guidebook: multilingual instruction booklet with basic meanings
- Publisher: Lo Scarabeo
- ISBN: 9780738763415
- Concept: Rachel Paul
- Illustrations: Martina Rossi
Questions we often get
Do I need to know the book of The Little Prince to use this deck?
No, that is not required. The cards follow the Rider-Waite structure and are readable on their own. Knowledge of the story does add an extra layer to interpretation.
How does this deck compare to a classic Rider-Waite deck?
The structure is identical. The imagery is different: where RWS uses medieval and alchemical symbolism, this deck places the characters from The Little Prince in those roles. The basic meanings remain the same.
