Lævateinn

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Lævateinn is a mythical weapon from Norse legend, tied to Loki. It is mentioned in the Poetic Edda, in the poem Fjölsvinnsmál. In the original manuscript the name appears as Hævateinn, but later editors, notably Sophus Bugge, changed it to Lævateinn. The poem says the weapon is needed to slay the rooster Viðofnir on top of the world-tree Mímameiðr, so the seeker can complete the quest described by Fjölsviðr.

There is no agreement about what Lævateinn actually is. Some say it is a dart or other projectile, others think it is a sword, and others a magic wand (a seiðr staff). Some interpretations treat the name as a literal wand, while others see it as a kenning for a sword. Some even connect it with the Baldr story and the mistletoe that killed Baldr.

The weapon is said to be made by Loki (sometimes called Lopt) and kept in an iron chest with nine locks by Sinmora. In the text, the name changes from Hævateinn to Lævateinn, and scholars have offered different readings of the line about where it lies and who owns it. The root læ in the name has several possible meanings—cunning, deception, or injury—leading to translations like “Wounding Wand,” “Wand-of-Destruction,” or “damage twig.”

In short, Lævateinn is the debated weapon of Loki, important for defeating Vidofnir, with scholars disagreeing about whether it is a wand, a sword, or a dart.