There was once a man, whose name was Bhukkhoo or “always hungry” His wife thought this name was of evil omen, so she told him to change it. Finally he said:—“Since you persist in asking me to change my name I will take a journey and look out for a better one.”
When he had gone some distance he saw a dead body being carried to the burning-ground. “What was the name of the deceased?” he asked some of the mourners. “His name,” said one of them, “was Amar (Immortal) Singh”. He went on a little farther and met a poor man carrying a bundle of wood to sell in the bazaar. “What is your name?” he asked. “Ameer (Rich)” he answered.Going on further he met a poor old woman begging and limping on with the help of a stick.“What is your name?” he asked. “My name is Lakshmi (the Goddess of Prosperity)” she replied.
Next he came to a village, and being anxious to bathe, he asked them if there was a tank there. “There is a tank and its name is Sagar (the Ocean)” they answered. But when he went there he found it quite dry. Going on again he saw a miserable lean ox which a man was driving along with the greatest difficulty.“What do you call your ox?” the Mahajan asked. “His name is Sona (the Golden One)” he replied.
Then the Mahajan laughed and said-
"Maral dekha Amar
Sir per lakri Ameer
Sabai mangat Lakshmi dekha
Jhura pokhar Sagar nam
Gariyar bail Sona nam
Nik mor Bhukkoo nam"
“The immortal one I saw dead
The rich carried a bunch of sticks
Prosperity's Goddess begged for alms
The dried up tank was the great ocean
The golden one, a poor weary ox My own name, the hungry one, is not so bad after all.”
So he went home, and when he told the whole story to his wife, she never bothered him again to change his name.
