Three of Swords
The Three of Swords signifies betrayal and the deep emotional pain that follows when trust is broken. In the Crane Wife tale, the husband's spying reveals that the wife was harming herself to help him, showing both treachery and a lack of trust. Upright, the card points to heartbreak, self-harm, sadness, grief, and separation. Reversed, it offers the possibility of overcoming grief through optimism, reconciliation, forgiveness, and seeking help.
Keywords
Card Name
Three of Swords
Character
Crane Wife
Origin
Japan, Japanese fairy tale
Description
The Three of Swords represents betrayal. The Crane Wife asks her husband for privacy, but he spies on her, only to discover she was hurting herself to help him. His spying was treacherous, but so was her inability to trust him with her secret.
Upright
Heartbreak, self-harm, sadness, grief, separation
Reverse
Overcoming grief, optimism, reconciliation, forgiveness, seeking help
Visual Description
A pale, mask-like figure with long black hair and layered pink-and-red feathered wings is pierced by three swords, one of which shows a streak of blood. White feathers fall away from the wings, and a jagged bolt of lightning slices the stormy sky as rain falls. A dark silhouette of a person with a topknot stands behind a windowpane at left, and the title “Three of Swords” is printed along the bottom with a small artist signature in the corner.
Tarot of the Divine
💜 Please support creators. Buy official decks.
ℹ️ Disclaimer
All card images and descriptions are taken from public sources. They are used for review purposes only. All rights to these images and descriptions belong to their creators. If you believe there is a copyright infringement, please contact us at [email protected].