diff --git a/mes.c b/mes.c
index 17f338d4..9da7e327 100644
--- a/mes.c
+++ b/mes.c
@@ -724,6 +724,29 @@ list_to_vector (scm *x)
   return v;
 }
 
+scm*
+number_to_string (scm *x)
+{
+  assert (x->type == NUMBER);
+  char buf[256];
+  sprintf (buf,"%d", x->value);
+  return make_string (buf);
+}
+
+scm*
+string_to_symbol (scm *x)
+{
+  assert (x->type == STRING);
+  return make_symbol (x->name);
+}
+
+scm*
+symbol_to_string (scm *x)
+{
+  assert (x->type == SYMBOL);
+  return make_string (x->name);
+}
+
 scm*
 vector_to_list (scm *v)
 {
diff --git a/test.mes b/test.mes
index 476fbe86..e1769c3b 100644
--- a/test.mes
+++ b/test.mes
@@ -268,4 +268,16 @@
 (display (procedure? procedure?))
 (newline)
 
+(define *gensym* 0)
+(define (gensym)
+  (set! *gensym* (+ *gensym* 1))
+  (string->symbol (string-append "g" (number->string *gensym*))))
+
+(display (gensym))
+(newline)
+(display (gensym))
+(newline)
+(display (gensym))
+(newline)
+
 '()