As I was walking one fine summers morning
Down by a clear river I walked all alone
I heard an old man making sad lamentation
About rocking a cradle and the child not his own
Hi ho, hi ho, hi laddie lie easy
Perhaps your own daddy will never be known
I'm sitting here and sighing and rocking a cradle
And nursing a baby that's none of my own
A year has gone by since I first met your mother
I thought like a fool that I was blessed with a wife
But I find to my sorrow, my grief and vexation
She has proved to be torture and plague to my life
Hi ho, hi ho, hi laddie lie easy
Perhaps your own daddy will never be known
I'm sitting here and sighing and rocking a cradle
And nursing a baby that's none of my own
She goes out every night to a ball or a party
And leaves me here rocking the cradle alone
This innocent baby, he calls me his daddy
It's little that he knows that he's none of my own
Well, my wife she comes in at the heel of the evening
She calls to me smartly the kettle put down
She sits at her table and soon she'll be drinking
Crying cuckold, where are you come and rock the child sound
Hi ho, hi ho, hi laddie lie easy
Perhaps your own daddy will never be known
I'm sitting here and sighing and rocking a cradle
And nursing a baby that's none of my own
So come all you young men that's inclined to be married
Take my advice, leave the women alone
For it's by the Lord, Harry, if ever you marry
You're sure to be rocking a cradle alone
Hi ho, hi ho, hi laddie lie easy
Perhaps your own daddy will never be known
I'm sitting here and sighing and rocking a cradle
And nursing a baby that's none of my own
Down by a clear river I walked all alone
I heard an old man making sad lamentation
About rocking a cradle and the child not his own
Hi ho, hi ho, hi laddie lie easy
Perhaps your own daddy will never be known
I'm sitting here and sighing and rocking a cradle
And nursing a baby that's none of my own
A year has gone by since I first met your mother
I thought like a fool that I was blessed with a wife
But I find to my sorrow, my grief and vexation
She has proved to be torture and plague to my life
Hi ho, hi ho, hi laddie lie easy
Perhaps your own daddy will never be known
I'm sitting here and sighing and rocking a cradle
And nursing a baby that's none of my own
She goes out every night to a ball or a party
And leaves me here rocking the cradle alone
This innocent baby, he calls me his daddy
It's little that he knows that he's none of my own
Well, my wife she comes in at the heel of the evening
She calls to me smartly the kettle put down
She sits at her table and soon she'll be drinking
Crying cuckold, where are you come and rock the child sound
Hi ho, hi ho, hi laddie lie easy
Perhaps your own daddy will never be known
I'm sitting here and sighing and rocking a cradle
And nursing a baby that's none of my own
So come all you young men that's inclined to be married
Take my advice, leave the women alone
For it's by the Lord, Harry, if ever you marry
You're sure to be rocking a cradle alone
Hi ho, hi ho, hi laddie lie easy
Perhaps your own daddy will never be known
I'm sitting here and sighing and rocking a cradle
And nursing a baby that's none of my own