Demeter is the Greek goddess of grain, agriculture, fertility, and the harvest. She is famous for her daughter Persephone being abducted by Hades, god of the underworld. This caused Demeter to withhold crops from growing, until Zeus intervened to negotiate Persephone's return. However, since Persephone ate pomegranate seeds in the underworld, she must still spend half the year there. This explains the seasons. Demeter is depicted wearing a wheat crown and carrying a torch, representing fertility and growth. Stories about her teach about the meaning of life, human emotions, and human nature.