Language: German
Literal Meaning: Oh, you green nine!
Figurative meaning: Curses! What a misfortune! An exclamation of anger or other negative emotion.
Origins:
The Nine of Swords is one of the most negative cards on Tarot. It stands for cruelty, pain, despair... suffering, depression... the demons in our minds...
Its Anglo-French counterpart is the Nine of Spades, which in German cards becomes the Green Nine, so called because the suit equivalent to swords/spades is represented by (linden or ivy) leaves.
Nine of Spades/Green in the Battle of Leipzig deck, made both French- and German-suited to commemorate the engagement in the Napoleonic Wars.
Nine of Green from a traditional German deck.
