diff --git a/pydu/iter.py b/pydu/iter.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d402a61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pydu/iter.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+"""iteration tools"""
+
+
+def first(iterable):
+    """
+    Get the first item in the iterable.
+    """
+    return iter(iterable).next()
+
+
+def last(iterable):
+    """
+    Get the last item in the iterable.
+    Warnning, this can be slow.
+    """
+    item = None
+    for item in iterable:
+        pass
+    return item