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Description
As Hades and Persephone were finishing the final touches on the plan for their wedding ceremony, Demeter was traveling through Attica as a representative of Eleusis. While in a village she was asked a most disturbing question by a villager. The villager asked, “How can you be happy when your beloved daughter is being forced to marry her kidnapper?” This upset Demeter greatly and she asked the villager who told them this. What she was told was that the villager had heard it from someone else.

Demeter decided to get to the bottom of this problem and searched for her cousin Helios, in order to get answers. When she finally found him she asked him if he saw anyone suddenly spreading that terrible rumor.

As a matter of fact he had. “It all started after Lord Hades and Lady Persephone announced their betrothal,” he said. “I saw Askalaphos emerge from the Underworld and disguise himself as a mortal, he then introduced himself to a nearby shepherd as a witness of a great misdeed. He claimed that the cooling temperatures were because ‘Hades, the Lord of the Dead, has kidnapped Persephone, the daughter of Demeter. Because of that Demeter is in mourning and she is refusing to let anything grow until her daughter is returned.’”

After hearing what Helios witnessed, Demeter was angry beyond reason. The seasons were there before she came into being and she enjoyed having a period of rest each year. For someone to suggest that she would neglect her duties over a supposed “kidnapping” was ridiculous. She was absolutely livid.

Unfortunately Helios wasn’t done talking yet, “He also said that ‘Persephone was crying out for help and the nymphs that serve Demeter weren’t able to get to her in time to save Persephone.’ This attracted my attention because everyone knows that you don’t have any nymphs that serve you.”

This was the last straw for Demeter and she remembered who Askalaphos was. He was the head gardener in charge of Hades’ prized pomegranate orchard; both she and Persephone briefly met him during their tour of the Underworld that previous autumn.

With her mind set on punishing Askalaphos for his treachery, she headed straight towards the orchards in the Underworld to look for him. When she arrived she saw him watching Persephone. He was about to approach Persephone when Demeter grabbed his shoulder.

Askalaphos was watching Persephone and thinking about how she should be marrying him rather than Hades, when he was suddenly grabbed by his shoulder and turned around. Once he saw who grabbed him, he froze. There stood Demeter with her earth brown locks flying in the air showing her anger and displeasure. Thinking that she didn’t know anything about the false story he spread, he tried to talk to her normally. “Lady Demeter, what a surprise,” he exclaimed. “What brings you here today?” Little did he know the fate that was about to befall him.

Looking him straight in the eyes, Demeter replied, “What brings me here is the fact that you have been spreading false tales about my daughter and her betrothed!” Seeing Askalaphos trembling in fear she continued,” I saw the way you looked at my daughter right now, and I have to say I am disgusted, disgusted that rather than accept the fact that she loves Hades rather than you, you instead spread a false tale. Not just any false tale though. No, a false tale involving me not doing my duties and holding the lives of countless mortals’ hostage! I am completely incensed at the idea! I don’t even have nymphs serve me at all. Really, just the idea makes me laugh! However, for what you have done you shall be punished.”

Seeing the malicious gleam in her eyes as she spoke, Askalaphos tried to get away. He noticed that the world seemed larger all of a sudden, until Demeter spoke again, “As punishment for what you have done, you will be a chew toy for Persephone’s three dogs.”

Picking up Askalaphos, now a yellow spotted lizard, she went in search of Persephone. When Demeter found her, she presented her with the lizard and said, “I thought that Cerberus, Aello, and Rhodon would like a new chew toy to teethe on.”

“How thoughtful,” said Persephone as she took the lizard from Demeter and gave it to the three dogs. “I’m sure they would like it.”

Looking upon the demise of Askalaphos was a certain nymph named Minthe. In her mind she thought, “Just you wait Persephone. Soon Hades will be mine, all mine!”

Description
As Hades and Persephone were finishing the final touches on the plan for their wedding ceremony, Demeter was traveling through Attica as a representative of Eleusis. While in a village she was asked a most disturbing question by a villager. The villager asked, “How can you be happy when your beloved daughter is being forced to marry her kidnapper?” This upset Demeter greatly and she asked the villager who told them this. What she was told was that the villager had heard it from someone else.

Demeter decided to get to the bottom of this problem and searched for her cousin Helios, in order to get answers. When she finally found him she asked him if he saw anyone suddenly spreading that terrible rumor.

As a matter of fact he had. “It all started after Lord Hades and Lady Persephone announced their betrothal,” he said. “I saw Askalaphos emerge from the Underworld and disguise himself as a mortal, he then introduced himself to a nearby shepherd as a witness of a great misdeed. He claimed that the cooling temperatures were because ‘Hades, the Lord of the Dead, has kidnapped Persephone, the daughter of Demeter. Because of that Demeter is in mourning and she is refusing to let anything grow until her daughter is returned.’”

After hearing what Helios witnessed, Demeter was angry beyond reason. The seasons were there before she came into being and she enjoyed having a period of rest each year. For someone to suggest that she would neglect her duties over a supposed “kidnapping” was ridiculous. She was absolutely livid.

Unfortunately Helios wasn’t done talking yet, “He also said that ‘Persephone was crying out for help and the nymphs that serve Demeter weren’t able to get to her in time to save Persephone.’ This attracted my attention because everyone knows that you don’t have any nymphs that serve you.”

This was the last straw for Demeter and she remembered who Askalaphos was. He was the head gardener in charge of Hades’ prized pomegranate orchard; both she and Persephone briefly met him during their tour of the Underworld that previous autumn.

With her mind set on punishing Askalaphos for his treachery, she headed straight towards the orchards in the Underworld to look for him. When she arrived she saw him watching Persephone. He was about to approach Persephone when Demeter grabbed his shoulder.

Askalaphos was watching Persephone and thinking about how she should be marrying him rather than Hades, when he was suddenly grabbed by his shoulder and turned around. Once he saw who grabbed him, he froze. There stood Demeter with her earth brown locks flying in the air showing her anger and displeasure. Thinking that she didn’t know anything about the false story he spread, he tried to talk to her normally. “Lady Demeter, what a surprise,” he exclaimed. “What brings you here today?” Little did he know the fate that was about to befall him.

Looking him straight in the eyes, Demeter replied, “What brings me here is the fact that you have been spreading false tales about my daughter and her betrothed!” Seeing Askalaphos trembling in fear she continued,” I saw the way you looked at my daughter right now, and I have to say I am disgusted, disgusted that rather than accept the fact that she loves Hades rather than you, you instead spread a false tale. Not just any false tale though. No, a false tale involving me not doing my duties and holding the lives of countless mortals’ hostage! I am completely incensed at the idea! I don’t even have nymphs serve me at all. Really, just the idea makes me laugh! However, for what you have done you shall be punished.”

Seeing the malicious gleam in her eyes as she spoke, Askalaphos tried to get away. He noticed that the world seemed larger all of a sudden, until Demeter spoke again, “As punishment for what you have done, you will be a chew toy for Persephone’s three dogs.”

Picking up Askalaphos, now a yellow spotted lizard, she went in search of Persephone. When Demeter found her, she presented her with the lizard and said, “I thought that Cerberus, Aello, and Rhodon would like a new chew toy to teethe on.”

“How thoughtful,” said Persephone as she took the lizard from Demeter and gave it to the three dogs. “I’m sure they would like it.”

Looking upon the demise of Askalaphos was a certain nymph named Minthe. In her mind she thought, “Just you wait Persephone. Soon Hades will be mine, all mine!”