The TAURUS Woman

Without, the frost-the blinding snow, The storm-wind's moody madness- Within, the firelight's ruddy glow, And childhood's nest of gladness.

I remember a conversation I once had with a writer whose mother had been born in May. In discussing her parent's habits and character, the girl happened to mention that "Mother was a tall woman." "You must take after your father then," I remarked, since the girl herself was only of average height. She smiled. And I shall never forget what she said. "I didn't mean in inches. Mother was shorter than I am. That was just soul talk." The girl was a Pisces, the sign that looks deep inside you.

She was right. A Taurus female is a tall woman. Even if she measures under five feet, she can reach tall enough to meet almost any emergency life chooses to throw her way. In many ways, the Taurean female is the salt of the earth, a combination of most of the sterling qualities every male looks for and seldom finds. She may have a violent temper that would frighten a strong man into running for the woods (or at least ducking under a tablecloth), but she won't go on a raging rampage without god provocation. Ordinarily, if you don't torment her beyond human endurance, or if Fate doesn't hand her a really rough bunch of cards, she'll play the game of life freely, with cool, admirable calm. Her candor and basic honesty are undiluted with normal feminine tricks ay tears. The Taurean girl has more moral and emotional courage than many a tough male, but she has enough confidence in her own sex to let you be the boss, if you want the job. If you don't fill it, she may grab control and run things herself, but she'd much rather have it the other way around. She seeks a real man.

That's because she how’s she's a real woman, and she's proud of it. To her, being a woman doesn't necessarily mean being an incorrigible flirt, a mental fluff ball or a mewing kitten who pretends to be weak to get her own way. It won't be long before you see she has a mind of her own, and it's quite strong though not to have to resort to teasing to gain an objective.

There's enough self-control in the average Taurus women make-up to hold back a team of horses (a fair idea of the force of her hidden will), if she chooses to exercise it. Let's hope she does. With an Aries or Leo ascendant 01 Moon, she may be capable of occasional cruelty or frequent emotional storms and with heavy Pisces or Gemini influences in her natal chart, she may be more restless and wavering-but the typical Taurean female practices self restraint in all areas at most times. It's a good thing, because her normally placid exterior conceals a sensual nature that could stand a little checking.

Men always appreciate her gracious tendency to take People as they are, without quibbling. She's as much at h»me with a scientist who studies tsetse flies in the Congo as with the sword swallower in the side show. They're doing what comes naturally; they're not phonies and that's what counts with her. Her close friends may be weird Matures straight out of the world of Toulouse-Lautrec, 01 they may be Norman Rockwell paintings come to life.

But they will be real people, not stuffed shirts or statues. When she runs across someone she dislikes, she doesn't start a big campaign to destroy him or challenge his ideals and motives. She simply avoids him. The Taurus woman can show frigid indifference to her enemies, but if she counts you as a friend, she'll be loyal through all your ups and downs. Her determination to stick with you would make the relationship between Damon and Pythias look like a casual acquaintance.

You can drive a Maxwell, climb a flag pole, get locked up in the pokey or wear daisies in your hair. You are her friend, and somehow she'll justify your actions. There's just a small catch here. She'll doggedly expect you to return her blind allegiance and unswerving loyalty. If you don't give her your complete devotion in return, she can sulk in the comer like a gloomy, gray cloud of repressed resentment.

This isn't the same thing as jealousy, however. The average Taurus woman will take the masculine hobby of girl watching in stride. Unlike the Aries or Leo woman, she won't turn scarlet with rage every time you openly admire a pretty girl. It takes more than a casual flirtation or kissing a good (female) friend goodnight on the cheek to arouse her Taurean anger. If you go beyond the bounds of her idea of fair play, she can be a holy terror on wheels, but the line is drawn with generous strokes. She'll have to be really pressed to the wall in some way to explode in typical Taurus fury. You can go ahead and wink at that attractive cashier, but don't test her patience too far. It does have a limit, boundless as it appears to be. If you've never seen her mad, leave well enough alone.

These women aren't dominated by strictly mental goals. That's not meant to imply that the Taurus female isn't smart and clever. She can match brains with the brightest men and women, but she's not fiercely interested in figuring out the theory of relativity or delving into abstractions. Multiple university degrees don't impress or thrill her. Just one is sufficient to gain her respect. Practical common sense and the ability to understand the fundamentals of any subject is, to her, essential. But the typical Taurean girl isn't an intellectual who reads the philosophers for kicks, and intricate ideologies are not her forte. She's a solid, practical thinker, with no frills or showy mental gymnastics. Her feet are planted on terra firma, and there are definitely no wings attached to her solid heels. Taurus women are seldom restless-they keep their heads and their balance. The Taurean perspective remains normally straight and true, with no twists and turns or distortions (though a Gemini Moon can put her in a bit of a whirl).

She's strictly a physical creature. That will undoubtedly interest you, but to interest her, an object or an idea has to appeal to her finely tuned senses. She doesn't want to hear that it's "good for her," that "everybody else is doing it," or that it will "stimulate her mentally." That sort of persuasion will make her yawn. To respond with genuine excitement, she has to derive some sensual satisfaction from everything she does.

You’ll seldom see a Taurus woman stuffing a few arti¬ficial blooms in a vase. Her flowers must be real, and have am honest feel or fragrance. She'll gather huge bunches off pussywillow and bittersweet in the spring and fall, and fill the house with sturdy mums and dahlias in the summer. Her perfume will usually be exotic and lingering, though some Taurean women lean in the opposite direction, and prefer the odor of squeaking clean hair and skin. Taurus girls will be visibly moved by freshly washed sheets saturated with the sweet smell of sunshine or the delicious aroma of bread baking in the oven. She's spiritually aroused by the scent of the morning paper, the intoxi¬cating odor of newly cut grass after a spring rain, burning wax candles or the smoke from a pile of smoldering autumn leaves. This should clue you to use a good brand o»f shaving lotion, rub some damp newsprint on your ears, tuck a burned leaf in your lapel and turn on the sprinklers just before you kiss her goodnight. Unpleasant odors affect her just as drastically, in a reverse way. This is not a girl who will appreciate a pet skunk, even if he has been de¬odorized. Don't take her on a fish fry unless you take along a can of floral spray. It's the cooking odor that causes the problem. The fragrance of fish fresh out of the stream is different; that's natural. The stables won't offend her delicate nostrils, either. Mother Nature again. You may have to make a careful list if you want to woo her with old factory success.

Colors send her senses soaring, too, the richer the better. Every shade of blue, from powder to indigo, will weaken her strong resistance. So will rose and pink. Wear a blue tie and a shocking pink shirt when you visit her, but not at the same time. Remember, she also has a sense of harmony, and you don't want to look like a co-ed nursery.

Her food must taste just right, and she'll usually sprinkle on the seasoning generously (unless she has a Virgo or Capricorn ascendant). Be sure to take her to places with the best chefs, because flat hamburgers and bland pea soup leave her emotionally cold. If you're lucky, she'll invite you for a home-cooked meal, and you may propose before dessert is served. When this girl ties on an apron, it's not just to make cinnamon toast. It's always a good idea to drop in on her with an empty stomach. A typical Taurus woman can cook her way right into your heart, and her kitchen is a real man trap.

Harmonious sounds and beautiful visual effects draw her like a magnet. Most Taurean women have a marked talent for, or an appreciation of music and art. Her doodles on the telephone pad are often very clever draw¬ings. Concerts and art exhibits are a good bet on dates, and Niagara Falls or the Grand Canyon are the best choices for a honeymoon. She'll be ecstatic at the sight of nature's grandeur.

If you can't afford Niagara, take her to an amusement park. She'll probably love to ride on a ferns wheel, feel the sharp wind across her cheeks, watch the colored lights and listen to the calliope music. (The roller coaster will appeal more to her Aries and Gemini sisters.) It's a rare Taurus girl who has never been on a farm nor hiked in the country-who doesn't love horseback riding and fishing. With all her sensuality, the Taurean female is a tomboy at heart. The earth beckons her with a seductive call-and she responds by throwing her arms around Mother Nature in honest rapture. If you want her to throw her arms around you in honest rapture, be sure you don't play raucous music on your record machine, eat garlic without gargling or wear clashing colors.

Finally, there's the sense of touch. Taurus women are the ones who complain that your sweater is "scratchy." It doesn't "feel nice." They can almost tell the color of a fabric by stroking it with their eyes closed. The materials she wears will be soft and luxurious to the touch, never irritating, and she'll probably dress with simplicity and taste. Her sensuous nature may not stretch to include fussy lingerie and dainty clothing (barring a Pisces or Leo ascendant or Moon). She prefers sportswear and plain, expensive outfits with no excess trimmings, and she dresses mostly for comfort; her practical nature taking over in the costume department. If she happens to have a heavy Aquarian influence in her chart, she can go a little cuckoo in stores on occasion, but even then her offbeat selections will serve a utilitarian purpose.

As you get to know her better, you'll realize that this girl can be a tower of strength. She's seldom demanding, except in the area of loyalty, and her disposition is generally even, down-to-earth and pleasant. People love her straightforward, easy-going manner-it's as relaxing as a warm bath. She's probably fond of warm baths herself, with lots of lotions and oils and bubbles. Taurean bathrooms often look like Cleopatra's private quarters. You keep expecting to see a slave appear and start waving a palm leaf fan.

You might have to find out the hard way that a Taurus woman doesn't like to be contradicted, especially in public, but why do that, when you can learn the easy way by understanding her Sun sign? Remember that she likes to do things slowly. If you hurry her or rush her, she'll become angry, and it isn't wise to make a Taurean female angry. Her tempo ranges from slow to deliberate and steady; it seldom raises to impulsive, but it can reach violent, when she's goaded too far.

Motherhood becomes her nicely. It blends smoothly with her serene disposition and matches her bovine nature beautifully. She'll cuddle little babies and adore toddlers, but as the youngsters grow older, she may be too strict and demanding. There's an unbending, stubborn streak in Taurean females that makes it hard for them to accept easily the multiple and confusing changes of adolescence. The Taurus mother becomes angry when her discipline is thwarted. She won't stand for disobedience or defiance. All the fury of the bull is aroused. She'll also find it difficult to tolerate laziness or sloppiness, and the children will prob¬ably keep their rooms neat-or else.

The Taurean love of beauty and harmony prevents calm acceptance of untidy habits. Messy youngsters and sloppy surroundings can make her see red. Outside of these few failings, she'll probably be a good parent, more of a friend to her children than a mother image as the years pass. Most offspring of a May-born woman remember her 'as a warm, maternal image in the early years and a pal with a sense of humor in their later years. The inbetween years-when youthful impatience clashes with the bull's , firm determination-may leave a few unpleasant memories. She'll fiercely and loyally defend them from outside hurts and teach them to imitate her own honest courage.
(Taurus females are never sissies. They seldom whine or complain. This is a woman who will quietly take a job to support a husband in medical school or work at home if there's a temporary financial crisis in the family. She doesn't have a lazy bone in her body, despite her often I slow, deliberate movements and need for frequent rest periods. Taurus females are hard workers. She can climb a stepladder to paint or scrub the walls with the strength of : a man, but she needs that afternoon nap to keep her sturdy. She'll walk proudly beside her man, and seldom try to pass him or stand in his shadow. Many a Taurean wife helps her husband with his studies, if he's taking special courses in a professional career, or types up the business correspondence he brings home from the office. She's an excellent helpmate in these areas. Taureans never expect to be supported without contributing their share, and they're miserable with a man who doesn't contribute his, though they'll try to make the best of it. Taurus women dislike weakness in any form.

Her impassivity to pain and emotional stress is almost miraculous, often even surpassing that of the Scorpio iv-male. I remember a scene I once watched in a hospital. A Taurus woman was going upstairs for serious surgery, so serious that her chances of surviving the operation were very small, and she knew it. It was a calculated risk. As her husband watched her being placed on the cart that would wheel her to the operating area, she noticed the tears in his eyes. But she never commented. She made jokes instead, until the nurses giggled and even the doctor smiled. The last thing her family heard her say as the orderlies were pushing and pulling, trying to get the cart into the elevator, was typically Taurean. Instead of glancing back at her loved ones with a tearful look of farewell, she raised up on one elbow and spoke to the young men firmly. "Before you put me back on this thing again, get some oil and grease those damned wheels." A Taurus woman never lets sentiment interfere with practicality.

A man who marries a female born in May won't marry a cry baby or a gold digger. She'll expect him to provide for her and manage the family finances sensibly. She'll also want the best quality when it comes to food and furnishings. But she'll always keep a sharp eye out for bargains, and be willing to wait for the luxuries she craves.

Quick fortunes without a solid foundation don't appeal to her sense of stability. She'd rather see you build carefully for the future. Making a good impression is important to her, and lots of Taurean women encourage their husbands to aim for a secure future by inviting influential people to dinner. A Taurus wife is the soul of hospitality.

This is a girl who will stay up night after night with a sick child and pray him back to health with a rock-bound faith-the kind of woman who can tenderly replenish a man's store of hope when the world has defeated him, in¬fusing him with her own brave, dauntless example. She's as dependable and predictable as a grandfather clock, as capable of patching a broken pipe or fixing a blown fuse as she is of baking a cherry pie or sewing on a missing button. There's always room enough and love enough in her heart to welcome strangers and relatives to her hearth, and her house will warm you when you've just come in out of a storm. Like my friend said, a Taurus female is "a tall woman."