Three of Wands
The Three of Wands is the third numeral card of the Wands suit, associated with the element Fire. It represents a venture already underway, with the first results of the initial impulse beginning to take shape.
Last reviewed: 2026-07-18
Historical fact
Before 1909, the card corresponding to the Three of Wands was typically composed of only three wands arranged ornamentally, with no narrative scene. The scene now associated with the card — a man seen from behind, on a cliff, watching ships in the distance, with three wands planted around him — is Pamela Colman Smith's design for the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, published that year, and it became the visual reference for later decks.
Interpretation — Rider-Waite-Smith / Golden Dawn
In the Rider-Waite-Smith tradition, this card is titled 'Virtue.' It represents a venture already underway, a long-term view, and waiting for the results of an effort begun earlier — traditionally associated with trade, exploration, and expansion beyond known territory. Reversed, it can indicate delays, unexpected obstacles, or a lack of long-term vision.
Interpretation — Thoth (Aleister Crowley)
In the Thoth deck, the card is also titled 'Virtue' and associated with the Sun in Aries — the Ace's initial energy now established and taking consistent shape. It represents strength asserting itself with confidence, a stage of consolidation after the suit's initial impulse.
This section presents one tradition's interpretation, not a verifiable fact.
Frequently asked questions
- What does the Three of Wands mean in Tarot?
- In the Rider-Waite-Smith tradition, titled 'Virtue,' it represents a venture underway and waiting for the results of an effort already begun. In the Thoth deck, associated with the Sun in Aries, it is read as initial strength consolidating with confidence.
- Does the meaning of the number 3 repeat across the other suits?
- Broadly, yes. In the Rider-Waite-Smith / Golden Dawn tradition, each number from 2 to 10 carries a wide theme across all four suits, expressed differently according to each suit's element (Fire in Wands, Water in Cups, Air in Swords, Earth in Pentacles), reflecting the system's origin in Golden Dawn teachings.
- Was this card illustrated differently before 1909?
- Yes. Before the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, this card showed only three wands arranged ornamentally, without the scene of the man watching ships in the distance — that illustration is Pamela Colman Smith's creation.
Sources
- Michael Dummett. The Game of Tarot: From Ferrara to Salt Lake City (1980).
- Arthur Edward Waite. The Pictorial Key to the Tarot (1910).
- Aleister Crowley. The Book of Thoth (1944).
- Stuart R. Kaplan. The Encyclopedia of Tarot (1978).