Leikn

Leikn is a female jötunn in Norse mythology. The 10th-century skald Vetrliði Sumarliðason lists her among the jötnar killed by the thunder god Thor.

Name

The Old Norse name Leikn has been translated as 'trickery'. Stemming from a Proto-Norse form reconstructed as *laikīnō, it is related to the Old Norse leikni, and to the Old English scīn-lǣce.

Attestations

The death of Leikn is mentioned in a lausavísa composed by Vetrliði Sumarliðason which praises Thor for having killed giants and giantesses:
Leikn's name was used by skalds in kennings. Hallfreðr vandræðaskáld thus uses the kenning "Leikn's horse" for a wolf and Hallvarðr háreksblesi calls the raven "hawk of Leikn of points" that is "hawk of valkyrie".
Leikn is also listed in the þulur.