Leikn (Old Norse: ) 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 ('bewitchment'), and to the Old English scīn-lǣce ('sorceress').

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" (hestr Leiknar) for a wolf (Óláfsdrápa, 6 ) and Hallvarðr háreksblesi calls the raven "hawk of Leikn of points" (haukr Leiknar odda) that is "hawk of valkyrie" (Knútsdrápa, 6 ). Leikn is also listed in the þulur.