The beautiful young maiden walked alone by the river. She was Persephone (per sef' u nee), daughter of the goddess Demeter. Persephone had left her friends far behind. It was a lovely day, and she wanted to gather flowers and enjoy the warm sunshine.

At the same time, Hades, god of the underworld, was driving his chariot near the river. When he saw Persephone. He pulled his horses to a stop. "That is the loveliest girl I have ever seen," he thought. "By Zeus, I will take her for my queen!" Then Hades whipped his horses toward the river. Persephone heard the noise. She turned in alarm. The huge, coal-black beasts were headed straight toward her! Before she could move, Hades had lifted her into his chariot.

Persephone was terrified. Mother!" she cried out. "Help me!" But by the time her words were spoken, she was already gone. Hades had carried her deep inside the earth to the Kingdom of the Dead.

The winds carried Persephone's cries. From far away on Mt. Olympus, Demeter had heard her daughter's words. She hurried to the river but found no sign of Persephone. "My daughter, what has happened to you?" Demeter cried in sorrow. The river, the animals, and the winds did not answer her, for they were afraid of Hades. Demeter was heartbroken. For nine days she sat alone by the river. Finally Apollo took pity on her and told her the truth.

"Good Demeter, your daughter is alive, and yet she is not. "She lives among the dead. She is the bride of Hades."

This news made Demeter even more sorrowful than before. Her daughter was happy and young. It grieved Demeter to know that Persephone was down in the underworld, among ghosts and spirits. It was no place for her daughter, even if she were the queen of a god!

But there was nothing Demeter could do. In her sadness, she left Mt. Olympus to live on earth. She stayed there a full year. During this time, all people on earth suffered. Demeter was the goddess of the harvest. It was she who caused crops to grow and food to be plentiful. While she was away from Olympus, seeds would not sprout and fruit died on the vine. Nothing grew. People starved to death.

Zeus saw that he must do something to save the people on earth. He sent the other gods to Demeter. They begged her to return to Olympus, but she refused. She would not change her mind until her daughter was returned to her. Zeus realized that he had no choice. He had to order his brother Hades to give Persephone back to her mother. But he set one condition. "She may come back only if she has eaten nothing during her time in the underworld."

Hades was saddened when he heard of Zeus's orders. He truly loved his beautiful bride and did not want to lose her. But he knew she had not eaten a bite since she had been with him. She complained that the food in the underworld was dull and tasteless. This gave Hades an idea. He went up to earth and found a fresh, sweet pomegranate. He brought it back and offered some to Persephone. She was delighted. It reminded her of the good food she used to eat. She sucked happily on the juicy fruit.

After eating, Persephone learned how her husband had tricked her. "Oh, great Hades," she cried. "You have been good to me, and I am not unhappy here. But I do miss my mother. Please let me go to her!" It upset Hades to see his queen so sad. He went to Zeus, and together they worked out a plan. Persephone would be allowed to return to earth, but only for eight months of the year. She must spend the other four months in the underworld with her husband.

And so it has been since that time. Each year when Persephone is with her mother, the earth is green and crops flourish. But when Persephone returns to the underworld, the earth turns cold. The fields are empty. Nothing grows. Human beings call this time of year winter.

Write what these sentences from the story mean.

1. The winds carried Persephone's cries.



2. It grieved Demeter to know that Persephone was down in the underworld, among ghosts and spirits.



3. "Good Demeter, your daughter is alive, and yet she is not."



4. Many of the Greek myths try to explain things that happen in nature. What does the story of Persephone try to explain?



5. Harvest means the gathering of crops when they are ripe. Demeter was the goddess ofthe harvest. What were her responsibilities? Why did the earth suffer when she did not do her job?



6. Do you think that the plan of Zeus and Hades was fair? Why?