def shift (*args):
    """`shift()` returns the leftmost element of `argv`.
    `shitf(integer)` return the `integer` leftmost elements of `argv` as a list.
    `shift(iterable)` and `shift(iterable, integer)` operate over `iterable`."""
    if len(args) > 2:
        raise ValueError("shift() takes 0, 1 or 2 arguments.")

    n = 1
    l = ayrton.runner.globals['argv']

    logger.debug2("%s(%d)", args, len(args))
    if len(args) == 1:
        value = args[0]
        logger.debug2(type(value))
        if isinstance(value, int):
            n = value
        elif isinstance(value, Iterable):
            l = value
        else:
            raise ValueError("First parameter must be Iterable or int().")
    elif len(args) == 2:
        l, n = args

    logger.debug2("%s(%d)", args, len(args))
    logger.debug("%s[%d]", l, n)

    if n == 1:
        ans= l.pop(0)
    elif n > 1:
        ans= [ l.pop(0) for i in range(n) ]
    else:
        raise ValueError("Integer parameter must be >= 0.")

    return ans
`shift()` returns the leftmost element of `argv`.
    `shitf(integer)` return the `integer` leftmost elements of `argv` as a list.
    `shift(iterable)` and `shift(iterable, integer)` operate over `iterable`.