diff --git a/lisp/subr.el b/lisp/subr.el
index ea926ae..976e4fd 100644
--- a/lisp/subr.el
+++ b/lisp/subr.el
@@ -405,6 +405,19 @@ nbutlast
 	   (if (> n 0) (setcdr (nthcdr (- (1- m) n) list) nil))
 	   list))))
 
+(defun front(list &optional n)
+  "Return a copy of LIST with just the first N elements.
+If N is omitted or nil the full list is copied."
+(let ((m (length list)))
+  (if (and n (<= n 0)) list
+    (nfront (copy-sequence list) n))))
+
+(defun nfront(list &optional n)
+  "Modified LIST to remove all elements but the first N.
+If N is omitted or nil the full list is copied."
+  (if (or (null n) (and n (<= n 0))) list
+    (nreverse (last (nreverse list) n))))
+
 (defun zerop (number)
   "Return t if NUMBER is zero."
   ;; Used to be in C, but it's pointless since (= 0 n) is faster anyway because