diff --git a/src/minlam_uncurry.c b/src/minlam_uncurry.c
index e857744..f4f3bbb 100644
--- a/src/minlam_uncurry.c
+++ b/src/minlam_uncurry.c
@@ -266,28 +266,6 @@ static MinExp *makeSaturatedApplication(HashSymbol *name, MinExprList *args) {
     return result;
 }
 
-// TODO consider generating this
-static MinExprList *takeMinExprList(MinExprList *list, int count) {
-    if (count <= 0)
-        return NULL;
-    if (list == NULL)
-        return NULL;
-    MinExprList *rest = takeMinExprList(list->next, count - 1);
-    int save = PROTECT(rest);
-    MinExprList *this = newMinExprList(CPI(list), list->exp, rest);
-    UNPROTECT(save);
-    return this;
-}
-
-// TODO consider generating this
-static MinExprList *dropMinExprList(MinExprList *list, int count) {
-    if (count <= 0)
-        return list;
-    if (list == NULL)
-        return NULL;
-    return dropMinExprList(list->next, count - 1);
-}
-
 //  fn process_apply(head, args) {
 //      switch (head) {
 //          (M.var(s)) {
diff --git a/tools/generate.py b/tools/generate.py
index 52f9357..c9bb8d3 100755
--- a/tools/generate.py
+++ b/tools/generate.py
@@ -259,8 +259,10 @@ def generate_header(args, catalog, document, packageName, includes, limited_incl
     catalog.printHelperNewDeclarations()
     printSection("access declarations")
     catalog.printAccessDeclarations()
-    printSection("count declarations")
+    printSection("list helper declarations")
     catalog.printCountDeclarations()
+    catalog.printTakeDeclarations()
+    catalog.printDropDeclarations()
     printSection("name declarations")
     catalog.printNameFunctionDeclarations()
     printSection("discriminated union getter declarations")
@@ -331,8 +333,10 @@ def generate_implementation(args, catalog, document, packageName):
     catalog.printGetFunctions()
     catalog.printSetFunctions()
     catalog.printIteratorFunctions()
-    printSection("count functions")
+    printSection("list helper functions")
     catalog.printCountFunctions()
+    catalog.printTakeFunctions()
+    catalog.printDropFunctions()
     printSection("mark functions")
     catalog.printMarkFunctions()
     printSection("generic mark function")
diff --git a/tools/generate/base.py b/tools/generate/base.py
index 4591e28..9350343 100644
--- a/tools/generate/base.py
+++ b/tools/generate/base.py
@@ -324,6 +324,18 @@ def printExtendFunction(self, catalog):
     def printCountFunction(self, catalog):
         pass
 
+    def printTakeDeclaration(self, catalog):
+        pass
+
+    def printTakeFunction(self, catalog):
+        pass
+
+    def printDropDeclaration(self, catalog):
+        pass
+
+    def printDropFunction(self, catalog):
+        pass
+
     def isEnum(self):
         return False
 
diff --git a/tools/generate/catalog.py b/tools/generate/catalog.py
index 61ef092..cdde88f 100644
--- a/tools/generate/catalog.py
+++ b/tools/generate/catalog.py
@@ -168,6 +168,18 @@ def printCountDeclarations(self):
     def printCountFunctions(self):
         self._dispatch('printCountFunction', self)
 
+    def printTakeDeclarations(self):
+        self._dispatch('printTakeDeclaration', self)
+
+    def printTakeFunctions(self):
+        self._dispatch('printTakeFunction', self)
+
+    def printDropDeclarations(self):
+        self._dispatch('printDropDeclaration', self)
+
+    def printDropFunctions(self):
+        self._dispatch('printDropFunction', self)
+
     def printAccessDeclarations(self):
         self._dispatch('printAccessDeclarations', self)
 
diff --git a/tools/generate/simple_struct.py b/tools/generate/simple_struct.py
index efb6265..7945016 100644
--- a/tools/generate/simple_struct.py
+++ b/tools/generate/simple_struct.py
@@ -103,6 +103,86 @@ def printCountFunction(self, catalog):
             print(f'}} {c}')
             print('')
 
+    def getTakeSignature(self, catalog):
+        myType = self.getTypeDeclaration(catalog)
+        myName = self.getName()
+        return f'{myType} take{myName}({myType} list, Integer count)'
+
+    def getDropSignature(self, catalog):
+        myType = self.getTypeDeclaration(catalog)
+        myName = self.getName()
+        return f'{myType} drop{myName}({myType} list, Integer count)'
+
+    def printTakeDeclaration(self, catalog):
+        if self.isSinglySelfReferential(catalog):
+            c = self.comment('printTakeDeclaration')
+            print(f'{self.getTakeSignature(catalog)}; {c}')
+
+    def printDropDeclaration(self, catalog):
+        if self.isSinglySelfReferential(catalog):
+            c = self.comment('printDropDeclaration')
+            print(f'{self.getDropSignature(catalog)}; {c}')
+
+    def _getConstructorActualsForCopy(self, catalog, sourceVar, restVar):
+        args = []
+        if catalog.getParserInfo(self.name):
+            args.append(f'CPI({sourceVar})')
+        selfRefField = self.getSelfReferentialField(catalog)
+        for field in self.getNewArgs(catalog):
+            fieldName = field.getFieldName()
+            if fieldName == selfRefField:
+                args.append(restVar)
+            else:
+                args.append(f'{sourceVar}->{fieldName}')
+        return ', '.join(args)
+
+    def _printImplicitFieldCopies(self, catalog, sourceVar, targetVar, tailVar):
+        c = self.comment('_printImplicitFieldCopies')
+        selfRefField = self.getSelfReferentialField(catalog)
+        for field in self.getDefaultArgs(catalog):
+            fieldName = field.getFieldName()
+            value = tailVar if fieldName == selfRefField else f'{sourceVar}->{fieldName}'
+            print(f'    {targetVar}->{fieldName} = {value}; {c}')
+
+    def printTakeFunction(self, catalog):
+        if not self.isSinglySelfReferential(catalog):
+            return
+        c = self.comment('printTakeFunction')
+        decl = self.getTakeSignature(catalog)
+        selfRefField = self.getSelfReferentialField(catalog)
+        print('/**')
+        print(f' * Creates a shallow copy of the first `count` nodes in the {self.getName()} list.')
+        print(' */')
+        print(f'{decl} {{ {c}')
+        print(f'    if (count <= 0) return NULL; {c}')
+        print(f'    if (list == NULL) return NULL; {c}')
+        myType = self.getTypeDeclaration(catalog)
+        print(f'    {myType} rest = take{self.getName()}(list->{selfRefField}, count - 1); {c}')
+        print(f'    int save = PROTECT(rest); {c}')
+        ctorArgs = self._getConstructorActualsForCopy(catalog, 'list', 'rest')
+        print(f'    {myType} result = new{self.getName()}({ctorArgs}); {c}')
+        self._printImplicitFieldCopies(catalog, 'list', 'result', 'rest')
+        print(f'    UNPROTECT(save); {c}')
+        print(f'    return result; {c}')
+        print(f'}} {c}')
+        print('')
+
+    def printDropFunction(self, catalog):
+        if not self.isSinglySelfReferential(catalog):
+            return
+        c = self.comment('printDropFunction')
+        decl = self.getDropSignature(catalog)
+        selfRefField = self.getSelfReferentialField(catalog)
+        print('/**')
+        print(f' * Skips the first `count` nodes in the {self.getName()} list.')
+        print(' */')
+        print(f'{decl} {{ {c}')
+        print(f'    if (count <= 0) return list; {c}')
+        print(f'    if (list == NULL) return NULL; {c}')
+        print(f'    return drop{self.getName()}(list->{selfRefField}, count - 1); {c}')
+        print(f'}} {c}')
+        print('')
+
     def getMarkSignature(self, catalog):
         myType = self.getTypeDeclaration(catalog)
         return SignatureHelper.mark_signature(self.getName(), myType)