The earliest know written story-The Epic of Gilgamesh
The Seven Basic Plots, Christopher Booker, Continuum Books, NY: 2004, page 21.
Overcoming the Monster
The Seven Basic Plots, Christopher Booker, Continuum Books, NY: 2004, page 23.
5000 years later
The Seven Basic Plots, Christopher Booker, Continuum Books, NY: 2004, page 22.
Dr. No image
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPUN2WomSWDIh0EVPAtO2QymqpbMUqW6JzBAwjeCkp2IQPLjpyq4bk49MwWEXF2uybGwTyTYZD25NrvTWpYaXK3ITOxfFeHZtfk-Q1RwNUN8-LthDA-2X69jCZv3stahyphenhyphenAUYXxHIInpTpy/s400/DrJuliusNo.jpg, December 3, 2009
A Few Examples
The Seven Basic Plots, Christopher Booker, Continuum Books, NY: 2004, page 48.
Gilgamesh
Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humbaba, December 3, 2009
Dr. No
http://www.jamesbondwiki.com/page/Dr.+Julius+No, December 3, 2009
Common in Folktales
The Seven Basic Plots, Christopher Booker, Continuum Books, NY: 2004, page 22.