Demeter is the daughter of Kronos and Rhea and is therefore one of the twelve Olympian gods of ancient Greece. She is the sister of gods such as Zeus, Poseidon and Hades.

One of her most famous stories is about her daughter Persephone. Persephone was kidnapped by Hades, god of the underworld, and Demeter wandered the world in desperation to find her. During this time the earth suffered from winter and drought. This story symbolically explains the seasons.

In some versions of the mythology, it is said that after Persephone returned from the underworld, Demeter took Triptolemus, the young prince of Eleusis, under her care. She taught him the secrets of farming and gave him a magical chariot with winged serpents in which he could fly over the earth to teach people how to grow crops.

"Grief seized her, and she wore black robes, her hair flowing in long strands over her shoulders. Not a foot trod the earth without it transforming it with darkness and dryness."