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There was once a time, before the seasons existed, that everyday was a beautiful, sunshiny day. Flowers were always in bloom, fresh fruit and vegetables were always growing, and children could play outside whenever they pleased.
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One of these children who so loved the outdoors was named Persephone. Little did she know, she would be the one to change this perfection forever. Persephone's mother, Demeter, was the goddess of the harvest and the only thing Demeter protected more than her harvest was Persephone.
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Persephone eventually grew up to be a kind, beautiful young woman whom everyone instantly adored, including Hades, the god of the underworld.
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One day, Persephone was picking flowers when the earth suddenly opened up and she fell into the deep gap. Hades caught her, as this was his plan to lure Persephone to the underworld. Only Zeus and Helios, the sun, saw what had happened.
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Helios immediately went to tell Demeter what had happened to her daughter. Demeter was so saddened by the disappearance of Persephone, that she locked herself away to grieve.
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With the goddess of harvest so distraught, the earth was no longer fertile. Zeus knew he had no other choice than to send Hermes, the messenger of the gods, down to the underworld to bring back Persephone.
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But over time she had fallen in love with Hades and Hades was still very much in love with Persephone.
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When Hermes reached the underworld, he told Persephone of her mother's sadness and the sadness this caused those on earth. Persephone knew she had no choice but to leave Hades.
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Hades did not want Persephone to go, so just before she left he asked her to share a pomegranate as a final memory together. Persephone did not know this, but every time she ate a pomegranate seed, she bound herself to another month in the underworld. As it turned out, she had eaten enough seeds so that she would have to spend one third of every year with Hades.
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Eventually, this time of year when Persephone returned to Hades became known as winter for Demeter once again locked herself away in sadness and the earth was no longer fertile.
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Upon Persephone's return, Demeter was always so happy that the earth began to bloom again, and for a short time returned to the way it was before the seasons existed.
