The Legend of Madians

in A Link To The Past, Link needs to save these broads who happen to be descendents of some hyrule sages... i think. This kinda confuses me because these Maidens, they help ya get into a tower. If these Broads are soo helpful, and powerful.. how did they get caught in the first place? Sure they are descendents of sages, but why do they have powers, and will they be sages themselves one day.. or does it skip a generation? and something that kinda boggles my dome is the fact they were in darkworld... why did they not turn into a creature like the bunny rabbit?
*off topic* Why did Links Flute bird take him to the Big ol pyramid in dark word, and when you wanna use that bird you cant?... CUZ i coulda used that dam bird to take me around dark world...