static <A> L<A> takeFirst(L<A> l, int n) {
  ret l(l) <= n ? l : newSubListOrSame(l, 0, n);
}

static <A> L<A> takeFirst(int n, L<A> l) {
  ret takeFirst(l, n);
}

static S takeFirst(int n, S s) { ret substring(s, 0, n); }
static S takeFirst(S s, int n) { ret substring(s, 0, n); }

static <A> L<A> takeFirst(int n, Iterable<A> i) {
  if (i == null) null;
  L l = new L;
  Iterator<A> it = i.iterator();
  repeat n { if (it.hasNext()) l.add(it.next()); else break; }
  ret l;
}

Began life as a copy of #1003099