Oh, hard is the fortune of all woman kind

She's always controlled, she's always confined

Controlled by her parents untill she's a wife

A slave to her husband the rest of her life



Oh, i'm just a poor girl my fortune is sad

i've always been courted by the wagoner's lad

He's courted me daily, by night and by day

But now he is packing and moving away



My parents don't like him because he is poor

They say he's not worthy of entering my door

He works for a living, his money's his own

And if they don't like it they can leave him alone



Your horses are hungry, go feed them some hay

Then sit down beside me as long as you may

My horses aint hungry, they won't eat your hay

Then fare thee well darlin i'll be on my way



Your wagon needs greasing your whip is to mend

Then sit down beside me as long as you can

My wagon is greasy, my whip's in my hand

Then fare thee well darlin, no longer to stand