There lived a peasant and his wife in the same village. The peasant's name was Thunthuniya. Every day his wife told him:
- What an ugly name you have! It doesn't mean anything. Take something else - a beautiful one.
The husband laughed it off, but his wife gave him no rest. Days passed after days, and she kept repeating her thoughts:
- Choose a prettier name for yourself!
Thunthunia is tired of arguing with her. He decided to go look for a new name. In the evening he told his wife to bake some cakes, and he went to bed.
Early in the morning Thunthuniya tied the cakes in a bundle and left the house to look for a beautiful name. He walked and walked and came to some village. One person just died there. His body was just being carried to the fire. People shouted: "Ram! Ram! Truth is Ram!" - and cried bitterly. “I’m lucky,” Thunthuniya thought. - This man died. So I can take his name for myself.” He approached one person and asked:
- Brother! Who died?
- Amarnath.
Thunthuniya thought: “After all, Amarnath means the lord of the immortals, but a man with that name died anyway. If I call myself Amarnath, what good will it do? I can't escape death! No, there’s not much good in this name.” With that, he moved on.
In another village he wandered into a threshing floor. He sees a person picking rice grains from last year's straw.
- Brother! Haven’t you found something easier to do?” says Thunthuniya. - What is your name?
– Dhanpat.
Thunthuniya heard this and was surprised. “After all, Dhanpat means rich,” he thinks. “And a man with that name has to rummage through last year’s straw!” No, it is of little use to be called Dhanpat.” And he moved on.
He approaches another village, and towards him a man carries a heavy burden on a yoke. At that time the sun was already hot, and the porter was sweating. Thunthuniya saw how hard it was for him and thought: “Let me find out his name.”
- Brother! Where are you going? “And what’s your name?” he asks.
“I’m bringing things to my master.” And my name is Lakshman.
The man said and went his way, and Thunthuniya remained standing with his mouth open. “Lord Lakshman defeated and destroyed the most terrible rakshasas,” he thought. - And the man who was named after him carries all sorts of loads on himself, like a donkey. No, there is no need for me to take this name.” And he sang:
Amarnath, even though he is “immortal”,
And he died like everyone else;
And the “rich” Dhanpat, hungry,
Looking for grain on the threshing floor;
Exhausting from the strain,
Lakshman is dragging a heavy load,
I will remain Thunthuniya,
That's what I've been called since birth.
Thunthuniya did not go further - he returned home. At home, his wife asked him what name he had chosen for himself. Thunthuniya told her what he saw on the road, and his wife understood everything. They didn't argue about his name anymore.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru