The changing of the seasons is often associated with the figure of Demeter in Greek mythology. As the goddess of agriculture and fertility, Demeter's sorrow for her daughter, Persephone, who is taken to the underworld, represents the cycle of death and rebirth. When Persephone returns to the surface, spring and summer flourish; her absence causes autumn and winter. This myth exemplifies how mythological narratives encapsulate the natural cycles of life.