Daphne was a Naiad nymph in Greek Mythology, which was a minor goddesses associated with fountains, springs, wells, etc. She was either the daughter of the river god Peneus and Creusa or the river god Ladon.
Daphne was said to be beautiful and caught the attention of the Olympic deity Apollo, who had been struck by Eros' love arrows. Daphne, was not impressed with Apollo and tried to escape him. However, Apollo pursued relentlessly and was able to catch up to her, but not before Daphne pleaded with the gods to save her from him. The gods obliged and turned her into a laurel tree.
The laurel became the sacred tree of Apollo; at the Pythian Games, held in honor of the god, winners were given a laurel crown; while Apollo's priestess at the oracle of Delphi, Pythia went into a prophetic trance because of the smoke of burning laurel leaves.