In cutting and hauling in frost and in snow,
We're up against hardships that few people know;
And it's only by courage and patience and grit
And eating plain food that we keep ourselves fit.
The hard and the easy we take as it comes,
And when ponds freeze over, we shorten our runs.
To hurrying my haulin' with spring coming on,
Near lost me a mare on Tickle Cove Pond.

CHORUS: Lay hold, William Oldford. Lay hold, William White.
Lay hold of the cordage and pull all your might.
Lay hold of the bowline and pull all you can,
And give me a lift to poor Kit on the pond.

I knew that the ice was getting weaker each day,
But still took the risk and kept haulin' away.
One evening in April, bound home with a load,
The mare showed some halting against the ice road.
She knew more than I did, as matters turned out,
And lucky for me, had I joined her in doubt.
She turned round her head and with tears in her eyes
As if she were saying, "You're risking our lives."

All this I ignored with a whip and a blow,
For man is too stupid, dumb creatures to know.
The very next thing, the pond gave a sigh,
And down to our necks went poor Kitty and I.
For if I had taken wise Kitty's advice,
I'd never have taken the short cut on the ice.
Poor creature, she's dead; poor creature, she's gone.
I'll ne'er get my mare out of Tickle Cove Pond.

I raised an alarm you could hear for a mile,
And neighbours turned up in a very short while.
You can always rely on the Oldfords and Whites
To render assistance in all your bad plights.
To help a poor neighbour is part of their lives,
And the same I can say for their children and wives.
When the bowline was fastened around the mare's breast,
William White for a chantey song made a request.
There was no time for thinking, no time for delay;
Straight from his head came this song right away:

CHORUS: Lay hold, William Oldford. Lay hold, William White.
Lay hold of the cordage and pull all your might.
Lay hold of the bowline and pull all you can,
And with that we brought Kit out of Tickle Cove Pond.

words & music
I have to get myself into Newfoundland music. It's just so raw.