The weak tenderness of his mother has cost the poor boy an immortality . Farewell . '' Saying these words , she kissed the little Prince Demophoon , and sighed to think what he had lost , and took her departure without heeding Queen Metanira , who entreated her to remain , and cover up the child among the hot embers as often as she pleased . Poor baby ! He never slept so warmly again . While she dwelt in the king 's palace , Mother Ceres had been so continually occupied with taking care of the young prince , that her heart was a little lightened of its grief for Proserpina . But now , having nothing else to busy herself about , she became just as wretched as before . At length , in her despair , she came to the dreadful resolution that not a stalk of grain , nor a blade of grass , not a potato , nor a turnip , nor any other vegetable that was good for man or beast to eat , should be suffered to grow until her daughter were restored . She even forbade the flowers to bloom , lest somebody 's heart should be cheered by their beauty . Now , as not so much as a head of asparagus ever presumed to poke itself out of the ground , without the especial permission of Ceres , you may conceive what a terrible calamity had here fallen upon the earth . The husbandmen plowed and planted as usual ; but there lay the rich black furrows , all as barren as a desert of sand . The pastures looked as brown in the sweet month of June as ever they did in chill November . The rich man 's broad acres and the cottager 's small garden patch were equally blighted . Every little girl 's flower bed showed nothing but dry stalks . The old people shook their white heads , and said that the earth had grown aged like themselves , and was no longer capable of wearing the warm smile of summer on its face . It was really piteous to see the poor , starving cattle and sheep , how they followed behind Ceres , lowing and bleating , as if their instinct taught them to expect help from her ; and everybody that was acquainted with her power besought her to have mercy on the human race , and , at all events , to let the grass grow . But Mother Ceres , though naturally of an affectionate disposition , was now inexorable . `` Never , '' said she . `` If the earth is ever again to see any verdure , it must first grow along the path which my daughter will tread in coming back to me . '' Finally , as there seemed to be no other remedy , our old friend Quicksilver was sent post-haste to King Pluto , in hopes that he might be persuaded to undo the mischief he had done , and to set everything right again , by giving up Proserpina .
Quicksilver accordingly made the best of his way to the great gate , took a flying leap XXXXX over the three-headed mastiff , and stood at the door of the palace in an inconceivably short time .
Demophoon Metanira Pluto Quicksilver embers first right stalk turnip verdure