The Pomegranate
It was a warm sunny day like no other in the land of Vallis collesor, the “the valley of hills”. Across the hilly landscape filled with high grasses and trees stood a little house tucked away against a backside of a high hill. A lovely, sweet song flowed into the air and surrounded the valley. A beautiful child of thirteen twirled thru the high grasses, singing merrily and leaping about. Radiance and beauty streamed off this child; she sang songs of love and merriment. Her cheeks were flushed with color from running through the wind. Her long chestnut brown hair flowed in curly waves down her back. Her lips were red as roses and her skin tan from the sun. Her eyes were a beautiful turquoise mixed with green and her pupils rimmed with gold. She was angelic and graceful as she spun around and around with her arms reaching up toward the sky. She spins until she falls to the ground while bursting with giggles and laughter.


“Proserpina, Proserpina! Dear come here!” Her mother calls. “Coming mother!” she answers. She jumps to her dainty feet and skips to her mother’s open arms. “Oh Proserpina, just look at you” Her mother pulls aside her wild hair that has fallen in her face; she reaches up the line of her jaw and lifts her chin. She stares as Proserpina for a while falling into her beauty. “Dear, I am leaving to go to the faraway land of Terra aquarum; the land there is rather dry and needs some vegetation.” You see her mother was Ceres, the Goddess of harvest. Ceres had to often travel to other places to harvest them. “Now darling, be good and do not ever go into the forest. You understand?” “Yes mother, does this mean you have to leave me again?” Proserpina did not try to hide her sorrow. Her mother chuckled and lifted her chin, “Yes, I have to leave but I will be home soon. You will see, very soon!” With that her body faded into the sky, as she left Proserpina alone in the middle of the valley. Proserpina shuffled her feet and hung her head in loneliness. She then lifted her head and sung a song of sorrow.


For days it rained, the rain struck the small window panes and the thunder rumbled in the sky. Proserpina stayed inside overcome with boredom. The rain looked so refreshing since she had spent days stuck in the stuffy house. Finally her temptation became too strong and she pulled open the door of the little hut. She ran out into the chilling rain and spun and spun. The rain fell softly; it ran down her face and got caught on her long eyelashes. She laughed and jumped in the puddles, she ran across the valley spreading her arms out like wings, catching water. The sun peeked out from the dark cloud as the rain fell even softer. The sun reached out its rays one by one as it dried the valley and the drenched Proserpina. She ran until her legs could not carry her anymore. The sun had emerged fully from the clouds and gentle warm, breeze covered the beautiful valley. When she looked up she realized she had run to the edge of the valley and into the forbidden forest. One foot stood on the valley and the other in the forest.


Just as she moved her foot to turn her back, a particular moment caught her eye. A white rabbit stood in the middle of the forest circled by six trees. Its beauty drew her in as she stepped both her feet into the forest; slowly she crept closer to the rabbit. As Proserpina lowered her hand to the rabbit it turned and went into a large bush. The bush was covered with dark purple flowers and the rain left drops on its dark green leaves. In the middle of the bush was a single pomegranate, it was so captivating Proserpina could not turn or move. It was drawing her in; she reached her hand out and ‘ran her fingers against its rough, but smooth skin. Without thinking she grasped the pomegranate and twisted its thin stem, which came off easily. With one motion she peeled back its skin and bit into the sweet seeds within. The sweetness of the fruit burst over her tongue as she murmured in delight, “Mmmmnnn” Just then the ground shook and trembled as it spread and cracked. She then lost her footing on the crumbling ground and fell into a dark abyss.




A scream tore out of her throat as she tensed for the fall, but it never comes. Then a deep voice from inside this chasm rings out, “Who dare eat my pomegranate?” Proserpina does not know how to answer, she finally says, “I, Proserpina, the daughter of Ceres.” He chuckles and replies, “And you, daughter of Ceres, thinks that you could eat my fruit.” Fear grips Proserpina as she cowardly, in a quiet voice, says, “I am sorry O’ Powerful one, for I had no knowledge that the pomegranate was your fruit.” The mysterious man comes out from the shadows and introduces himself as Pluto, the king of the underworld. He looks about 25 in age, he is strikingly handsome but in a dark and mystifying way. All of his features are dark, but very outstanding. His chin and cheekbones are high and his jaw clenched. He waves one hand behind him, as a sign to follow him. With nowhere else to go and nothing to do she follows him. Pluto leads her deeper into the cave as they come across a clearing. The sky is filled with a dreadful red haze and the earth a deathly-black, an evil looking castle sits against the horizon, as a mist swirls the air. The stink of burning flesh and death covers the atmosphere and chokes it. “Welcome to the Hades the land of the underworld”, says Pluto.” Proserpina is struck with fear; the physical appearance of this place turns her insides out as her nose filters the smell of it all. Fear grips her tightly as she swallows the terror in her throat. Numbly she follows along Pluto as he leads her to his castle. He locks her in a dark chamber, lit only by candles.


Days pass and each day she asks if she can go back home. Each day Pluto answers, “Don’t you want to live in Hades forever? I will be your protector. We can have a family and live richly in my castle! It shall be the life!” and each day Proserpina screeches in disgust, “I will never be your queen! I will not live here, and now on my life LET ME GO!” Pluto visits her each day and offers her platters of roasted duck with orange-rosemary sauce, sweet fruits and nuts, roasted tomatoes and squash. Over flowing bowls of rice, chicken and vegetable soup and overwhelming scents of sweet cakes made of milk and honey. Even though Proserpina is tempted she refuses the food. Pluto pleads with her, “Proserpina eat my dear, before you grow weak.” He reaches out his hand and gently touches her chin; she lifts her eyes for a second but then quickly pushes his hands away. In shame and in fright she allows the tears to flow freely from her eyes. “Shhhh Proserpina don’t be frightened, Shhhh” He lifts his hand higher until his hand cups her soft face. He slides his other hand up her hairline and into her soft hair. He softly brushes her tears away, “Please don’t cry.” He whispers. In a shaky voice she declares, “Get off of me. If you ever touch me again, I swear…. Your head will be mounted on a wall.” His dark oak brown eyes flash hurt, but they still shine compassion and love. He pulls away with a smirk, “Harsh.” He says. Proserpina rolls her eyes and blushes.


Day in and day out Pluto comes to Proserpina but she pushes him away. She thinks about Pluto, “Well, he is sweet. But he kidnapped me! What if he never lets me go? Oh I am hungry!” A gentle knock resounds on the door as Pluto says, “Proserpina would you like some lunch?” Proserpina’s heart is softened; she is very hungry and growing weak. She lets him in and he brings platters and platters of delicious meats, fruits, nuts, cheeses, vegetables, grains, and wines. She looks over the food as if pondering what to eat first. She reaches out her hand and picks up a pomegranate. You see this pomegranate was not just a normal pomegranate it was a large pomegranate sparkling from beauty. Its skin not maroon but a deep royal red, its seeds not wilting or rotting but fresh and crisp. The fruit as a whole was so equally portioned not a seed looked out of place. Its skin was equal and fair without one scrape or indentation. She looked at it in wonder and in awe, Pluto was eager about the fruit saying, “Look at that fruit, isn’t it beautiful, isn’t it lovely?” She picked the fruit up as if it was made of glass, “Yes, yes it is very beautiful. Is it okay if I eat it?” Pluto chuckled softly, “Of course my lovely anything for you especially this lovely fruit.” She peeled back the skin of the pomegranate took one seed, examined it, and slowly lowered it to her mouth. Sweetness exploded over her tongue as she was awe stuck from this fruit.


Little did poor Proserpina know the pomegranate was injected with love potion! Pluto realized that he loved Proserpina and did not want to lose her, so he injected a fruit that he knew Proserpina would eat. For the rest of Proserpina’s life she lived under the spell of Pluto. For he was fulfilled so was she, but this love was forced in a way the Proserpina could not understand. The spell never broke and she lived as the Queen of the underworld. Her poor mother fell into deep despair, so much that she let the world starve for a year.

The End