In Greek mythology Persephone is the daughter of Zeus (king of the gods) and Demeter (goddess of harvest and agriculture). One day when Persephone was working with her mother in the mortal realm, she was spotted by Hades (king of the underworld and Zeus’s eldest brother). Hades was so captivated by her beauty that he kidnapped her and brought her to the underworld. When Demeter later realized that her daughter was missing, she went into a frenzy trying to find her. In doing so, all the crops and plants began to wither. Zeus wanted to let Persephone stay, knowing his brother had finally found love, but the mortal realm was dying slowly, so she had to return. Before she left, Hades offered her a few pomegranate seeds, so she could be partially tied to the underworld. Once Persephone was reunited with her mother, Zeus informed Demeter that her daughter would have to return to Hades for three months of the year; one for every seed she ate. Demeter was furious and vowed that every day her daughter spent in the underworld, she would continue to let the crops and plants die. This is how the seasons are explained in Greece.