When Demeter found no one on earth who could tell her about Persephone, she looked up toward the sky. There she saw Apollo in his bright chariot. He was not driving as high in the sky as he was wont to do.
Often he gathered dark mists about him so that none saw him for many days.
Demeter knew that he must know about Persephone, for he could see all things on earth and in the sky.
Apollo told Demeter that Hades had carried Persephone away and that she was with him in his underground home.
Demeter hastened to the great father Zeus, who could do all things.
She asked him to send to Hades for her daughter. Zeus called Hermes. He bade him go as swiftly as the wind to the home of Hades. Hermes whispered to everything on the way that he was going for Persephone so that all might be ready to welcome her back.
He soon arrived in the kingdom and gave Hades the message from Zeus. He told about the barren earth and of how Demeter was mourning for her child. He said she would not let anything grow until Persephone came back. The people must starve if she did not soon return.
Then Persephone wept bitterly, for that very day she had eaten a pomegranate and swallowed six of its seeds.
Hades pitied her and said that she need only stay with him one month for each seed she had eaten.
Joy gave her wings, and as swiftly as Hermes himself, Persephone flew up into the sunshine.