Valkyrie (Great Spotted Woodpecker)

This work is inspired by the Viking legends of the "Valkyrie". The Vikings saw the northern lights, or more aptly the "Nordlys", as a sign of the presence of Valkyries on Earth and that a great battle had been fought somewhere on Midgard (Earth). The Valkyries are mortal human women born of mortal human parents but due to their worship of the God Odin, have the ability to travel between the realms of living mortals on Midgard and Odins hall in Valhalla. In the belief of the people, it was the Valkyries who rode through the firmament after a successful battle and chose the most heroic fighters to be allowed to dine at Odins table as Einherjer. In the imagination, the light of the moon was reflected in their shining armor and was the explanation for the play of colors in the night sky.