The Mice

The card

Several mice move about in the lower part of the card — small individually, numerous together.

Traditional meaning

Traditionally the Mice are loss, wear and things eaten away bit by bit, and also stress and illness.

How to read it

The point of the Mice is "gradually gone". Not one loss but a steady leak: money, energy, health, patience. They weaken whatever sits next to them — beside a good card, the benefit is discounted. Working out what is being drained usually matters more than stopping the leak.

In context

Love

A relationship worn down by daily life, or trust seeping away.

Work

Costs out of control, efficiency lost, long-term overwork.

Timing

Ongoing; it has been happening for a while already.

Common combinations

• The Mice + The Fish · Money leaking away, spending out of control
• The Mice + The Tree · Health being slowly worn down
• The Mice + The Bouquet · A gift or a kindness that comes discounted
• The Mice + The Heart · A relationship worn away by daily life
• The Mice + The House · Household costs and wear
• The Mice + The Fox · The job is draining; output keeps falling
• The Mice + The Book · Knowledge or a secret leaking out bit by bit
• The Mice + The Anchor · Stability eroded, the base loosening
• The Mice + The Birds · Anxious chatter; thinking about it only tires you
• The Mice + The Sun · The drain is real, but there is still a turn