Demeter was the sister of Zeus (the ruler of the gods and goddesses), and one of the six children of Cronus (harvest) and Rhea (earth). Demeter was considered a fertility goddess. She had a daughter, Persephone, and a son, Horus. Persephone's father was Zeus.

One day Hades saw Persephone and liked her very much. He kidnapped her to his underground kingdom of the dead to be his wife. Demeter searched everywhere for her daughter, not caring for the earth or its crops and harvests. Eventually Helios, the sun god, who had seen everything that had happened, told Demeter. Demeter vowed that she would not continue caring for the earth unless her daughter was returned to her.

She went to Zeus and demanded that her daughter be returned to her. Zeus agreed, as long as Persephone had not eaten anything while she was in the underworld. Unfortunately, Persephone was found to have eaten some pips of a pomegranate. Therefore, Zeus could not keep his promise. Demeter was so heart-broken that she didn't care for the earth anymore.

Zeus saw that the earth was cold and withering, he tried to negotiate with Hades and Demeter. Eventually, a compromise was reached. Persephone would be let out from the underworld at springtime. Demeter was so happy to have her daughter back that the flowers would start blooming and the earth would be cared for. But later in the year, at harvest-time, Persephone would return to the underworld. This is when the earth becomes cold and decays because of Demeter's sadness. This is how seasons came to be.