`` What does this mean ? '' thought she . `` It was an enchanted torch , and should have kept burning till my child came back . '' Lifting her eyes , she was surprised to see a sudden verdure flashing over the brown and barren fields , exactly as you may have observed a golden hue gleaming far and wide across the landscape , from the just risen sun . `` Does the earth disobey me ? '' exclaimed Mother Ceres , indignantly . `` Does it presume to be green , when I have bidden it be barren , until my daughter shall be restored to my arms ? '' `` Then open your arms , dear mother , '' cried a well-known voice , `` and take your little daughter into them . '' And Proserpina came running , and flung herself upon her mother 's bosom . Their mutual transport is not to be described . The grief of their separation had caused both of them to shed a great many tears ; and now they shed a great many more , because their joy could not so well express itself in any other way . When their hearts had grown a little more quiet , Mother Ceres looked anxiously at Proserpina . `` My child , '' said she , `` did you taste any food while you were in King Pluto 's palace ? '' `` Dearest mother , '' exclaimed Proserpina , `` I will tell you the whole truth . Until this very morning , not a morsel of food had passed my lips . But to-day , they brought me a pomegranate -LRB- a very dry one it was , and all shriveled up , till there was little left of it but seeds and skin -RRB- , and having seen no fruit for so long a time , and being faint with hunger , I was tempted just to bite it . The instant I tasted it , King Pluto and Quicksilver came into the room . I had not swallowed a morsel ; but -- dear mother , I hope it was no harm -- but six of the pomegranate seeds , I am afraid , remained in my mouth . '' `` Ah , unfortunate child , and miserable me ! '' exclaimed Ceres .
`` For each XXXXX those six pomegranate seeds you must spend one month of every year in King Pluto 's palace .
Until across as because into of over to while with