Lyrics:

(Trad)
In cuttin' and haulin' in frost and in snow
We're up against troubles that few people know
It's only by courage and patience and grit
And eating plain foods that we keep ourselves fit
The hard and the easy we take as they come
And when ponds freeze over we shorten our runs
To hurry my haulin with spring comin' on
I near lost me a mare out on Tickle Cove Pond

Chorus:
Lay hold William Olford, 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 with poor Kit on the pond

I knew that the ice grew weaker each day
But I still took the risk and kept haulin away
One evening in April bound home with a load
My mare showed some haltin' against the ice road
She knew more than I did, as matters turned out
Been lucky for me had I joined her in doubt
She turned round her head, with tears in her eyes
As if she were saying 'You're risking our lives!'
All this I ignored, with a whip-handled blow
For man is a stupid dumb creature you know
And the very next moment, the pond gave a sigh
And up to our necks went poor Kitty and I

Chorus
(instrumental solo)

Now if I had taken wise Kitty's advice
I ne'er would have made that shortcut 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
But I raised an alarm you could hear for a mile
The neighbours showed up in a very short while
You can always rely on the Olfords and Whites
To render assistance in all your bad plights
To help a poor neighbour is part of their lives
The same can be said for their children and wives
And with the rope fastened around the mare's breast
William White for a shanty song made a request
There was no time for thinking, no time for delay
Straight from his heart came this song rightaway

Chorus

Last Chorus:
Lay hold William Olford 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 pulled Kit out of Tickle Cove Pond