The daughter of Demeter and Zeus lived first as a grain girl on earth. Hades, her uncle and the ruler of the realm of the dead fell in love with her. After Zeus did not want to forbid nor allow a marriage, Hades kidnapped her and wed her as Persephone in the underworld. Demeter was frantic with pain and anger when she learned about that. She spoke with Zeus, who agreed

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to allow Persephone to return to the world of the undead if it was her free choice - however, with the condition that she would not take anything with her from the underworld.
On the evening before her return Hades gave her a pomegranate to eat, and so she was carrying three seeds in her stomach when she was ready to leave him. Thus the condition was not met and she was forced to return again to the realm of the dead. Demeter however sent a drought to the earth in order to force the Gods to release Persephone. After the first humans had perished from hunger and thirst, Zeus urged his brother to compromise:

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Persephone remained from there on one third of the year in the underworld with her husband, whereas the remainder of the time she spent with her mother in the world of the undead. This mythos explains the change of seasons and symbolizes the change of life and death. For the time she remains in the underworld, nature dies. Upon her arrival from the darkness of Hades she brings spring along with her and nature is happy about her return and is reborn in order to bring forth new fruits.