King Athamas’s second wife, Ino, didn't like her stepchildren, Phrixus and Helle, from the king’s first marriage to the cloud nymph Nephele. Plotting to kill her stepchildren, Ino caused a famine in her husband’s kingdom. Then when Athamas appealed to the Oracle of Delphi for advice, Ino bribed the messenger to report that Athamas must sacrifice Phrixus to save the harvest. Right before Athamas sacrificed his son, when Nephele sent down the winged ram to save him. When Phrixus climbed onto the ram’s back, Helle quickly joined him. But in the sky, Helle lost her grip and fell into the sea and drowned.