Magic Armor Can't Be Removed

I'm not sure this is even a book, but it resonates as if it's from a classic myth somewhere. So, help!

Is there a novel / folk tale / myth about a magic suit / cloak / suit of armor that grants the wearer great strength, protection against injury, etc., but becomes a curse when the wearer cannot remove it and ultimately cannot even control it?

When I try a general Google search, I only get hits on magic armor in RPGs.

Thanks in advance.

Well...its not a book per se...but your description reminded me of the Japanese anime/manga 'Naruto' (elements of which are loosely based on Japanese folk lore).

An incredibly powerful and fearsome monster, the Kyubi (a nine-tailed fox...in myth, the number of tail denotes power level) terrorizes the Village of the Hidden Leaf. In order to save everyone, the village leader, the Hokage, casts a spell that sacrifices his own life and seals the Kyubi in the body of a newly born orphaned boy, Naruto.

The spell does not really kill the Kyubi so the villagers ended up ostracizing Naruto, who was not told of this story at first, for fear that the spirit of the demon fox will someday escape.

Eventually, we learn that the Kyubi does want freedom but cannot let Naruto die without first breaking the seal. So whenever Naruto is in trouble he lends him some of his power which in turn allows Naruto to perform heroic deeds (but each time he does, the Kyubi also grows stronger).

The story is fascinating and much more complicated, with so many twists, and arcs, and subplots and, to be honest, I haven't finished it yet so I dont know how it all ends.

>2 riida: Sounds interesting. Asian myth in general is an area in which I've read very little.

Thanks for opening an interesting avenue.

Sounds like the Death Dealer series.

Starts with Prisoner of the Horned Helmet