One day, Persephone was abducted by Hades, who dragged her down to his Kingdom, the Underworld, and forced her to be his bride. Demeter loved her daughter and searched for her for several days without success. She was finally told of the abduction by Helios, who, riding his fiery chariot across the sky each day, could see everything below.

Hades refused to let Persephone return to her mother. Demeter, beside herself with grief, ceased to care for the crops and the trees, and soon famine stalked the land. Eventually, by the command of Zeus, Persephone was allowed to return to the surface to join her mother, but she had to return to Hades for several months in each year.

From then on, the time when mother and daughter were parted became known as Autumn and Winter.