Hades would sometimes take visits to the upper worlds to inspect his temples. While he was there and about to leave, he saw Eros, the archer god of love. Eros struck Hades with an arrow that would make him fall in love with the first person he sees.
When Hades was about to leave, he saw Persephone, the favorite daughter of Demeter, the goddess of grain and mother of life. Hades instantly fell in love with her and took her to the underworld.
Sadly Demeter couldn't find her daughter. She searched everywhere and ended up in a town called Eleusis. The 4 fair daughters of Celeus helped her and brought her to their home.
She told the people of Eleusis to build her a temple where she could teach religious rites. She also determined that if she did not get her daughter back then she would bring famine that would destroy all of mankind. She would allow nothing on earth to grow.
Zeus, the god of the heavens, saw that the situation was very bad so he sent his messenger, Iris, down to the temple to request Demeters presence at the meeting of the gods. But Demeter would not hear of it.
So, Zeus sent his chief messenger, Hermes of the winged sandals to the underworld. He told Hades if he didn't get Persephone, Demeter would destroy the whole human race by famine.
Hades knew he had to obey Hermes, so he made Persephone eat some pomegranate seeds before she left. The fates had ordinated, that if you eat in the underworld, you have to stay there or come back soon.
Hermes brought Persephone back to the upper world to the temple Eleusis to meet Demeter. Her mother found out about the seeds and was very angry that her daughter would have to return to the underworld.
A decision was made that Persephone would spend 4 months (fall and winter) in the underworld and spend spring and summer with her mother on upper earth
Earth was retransformed. The flowers grew back and there were singing birds again. Demeter became the "Good Goddess," and "The Bright Lady of the Bright Seasons