Kleisidike was the daughter of King Celeus of Eleusis and Metaneira. She had three sisters (Kallidike, Demo, and Kallithoe) and two brothers (Demophon and Triptolemus). Like all her sisters, she looked like a goddess with her “bloom of adolescence”. One day, she went with her sisters to fetch water from the Parthenion (Maiden’s) well, near the palace, to carry it in bronze water jars to their father’s home. There she came across Demeter sitting in the shade, under the thick growth of an olive tree. The sisters failed to recognise the goddess, who had the appearance of an old woman. Demeter told them she had been kidnapped by pirates from her native Crete, only to escape when their ship came to Attica. The sisters returned to the palace and informed their mother about the old woman's presence at the well. Metaneira urged them to bring her to the royal residence since she had been looking for someone to nourish her youngest son, Demophon. Demeter attempts to immortalise the young prince by burning away his mortal nature in the fire, but Metaneira discovers the nightly ritual and puts a stop to it in horror. Kleisidike and her sisters heard their mother’s screams and rushed to Demophon’s chambers. One of them picked up the child in her arms; another one rekindled the fire, and the third tried to support her mother as she staggered out of the room. The sisters attempted to comfort the boy, wailing because he was now “being held by nursemaids who were far inferior” to the goddess. Kleisidike and her sisters spent the night praying to Demeter and trembling with fear. At dawn, they told Celeus what had happened and revealed Demeter’s request for a temple and an altar in her honour.