ABSTRACT
People around the word, from ancient times to the era of mass culture that produced Superman, ascribe magic invulnerability to their heroes. The magic waters do not penetrate her grip, and he is left vulnerable in that one spot, the proverbial Achilles' heel. In the end, he is brought down by a poisoned arrow guided by Apollo to this one fateful spot. Beowulf, with apparent foreknowledge of Grendel's magic, attacks the monster with his bare hands and mortally wounds him by pulling off his arm. In the Norwegian folktale "The Blue Belt", the hero receives extraordinary strength by means of a magic belt, by which he also is protected from stones rolled on him by a troll, attacks by lions, and more. Saint George, probably the best known of all nonbiblical Christian saints, exemplifies a number of the protections promised to the faithful.
