Hero facts for kids
A hero is a special person who does brave and amazing things. They often help others, save people from danger, or inspire everyone around them. The word "hero" has changed its meaning over time.
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What is a Hero?
The word "hero" comes from an ancient Greek word, ἣρως. It has been used for thousands of years to describe people who are extraordinary.
Heroes in Ancient Times
In Greek mythology, a hero was often a person who was half-god and half-human. For example, Herakles was a famous hero. He was the son of the god Zeus and a human woman named Alkmene. These ancient heroes performed amazing feats, like fighting monsters or going on dangerous quests. People even worshipped them in special ceremonies called hero cults.
Heroes in the Modern World
Today, the word "hero" has a different meaning. It usually describes someone who is very courageous. A firefighter who saves someone from a burning building is a hero. They show "heroism" by being brave and helping others. Heroes often protect people or society from bad people, villains, or even natural disasters like floods or earthquakes.
Everyday Heroes
A hero can also be someone who is simply very helpful and kind to people who need it. They might not save the world, but they make a big difference in their community. In sports, a hero is an amazing player or athlete. You might hear about a "football hero" or an "Olympic hero" who wins a big game or medal. The word for a female hero is a "heroine."
Heroes in Stories
Sometimes, the main character of a book, movie, or TV show is called the "hero" of the story. This person is usually the one you follow through the adventure.
Images for kids
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Achilles during the Trojan War, as depicted in an ancient Greek polychromatic pottery painting (dating to c. 300 BC).
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Joan of Arc is considered a medieval Christian heroine of France for her role in the Hundred Years' War, and was canonized as a Roman Catholic saint
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William Tell, a popular folk hero of Switzerland.
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Giuseppe Garibaldi is considered an Italian national hero for his role in the Italian unification, and is known as the "Hero of the Two Worlds" because of his military enterprises in South America and Europe.
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The four heroes from the 16th-century Chinese novel, Journey to the West
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Lemminkäinen and the Fiery Eagle, Robert Wilhelm Ekman, 1867
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Ivan Tsarevich, a hero of Russian folklore, by Viktor Vasnetsov (1880)
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Simo Häyhä, a Finnish military sniper during the Winter War, achieved the reputation of a pioneering war hero, despite his modest nature.
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Bust of Nelson Mandela erected on London's South Bank by the Greater London Council administration of Ken Livingstone in 1985
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The Swedish Diplomat Raoul Wallenberg saved the lives of tens of thousands of Jews in Budapest during World War II.
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See also
In Spanish: Héroe para niños
