The lion would seem like an obvious choice for Strength, given it’s almost the only animal anyone ever associates with this card thanks to the Rider-Waite-Smith deck. However, I chose another feline to embody this member of the Major Arcana–a domestic cat. Despite the cracks in her skull and breaks in her teeth, this cat skull is still here to tell her tales to whomever will listen. she embodies not the brute force of Strength, but resilience and cleverness. A brass chain shows the ability to withstand great forces, while grass reminds us that there is strength in being able to bend with the wind and thereby survive the storm.

Strength is the 66th assemblage, which means including the Happy Squirrel I have a baker’s dozen left. On to the next!