diff --git a/lib/haml/helpers.rb b/lib/haml/helpers.rb
index 82f95db3..98d06516 100644
--- a/lib/haml/helpers.rb
+++ b/lib/haml/helpers.rb
@@ -60,6 +60,65 @@ module Haml
       buffer.tabulation -= i
     end
     
+    # Surrounds the given block of Haml code with the given characters,
+    # with no whitespace in between.
+    # For example,
+    #
+    #   = surround '(', ')' do
+    #     %a{:href => "food"} chicken
+    #
+    # makes
+    #
+    #   (<a href='food'>chicken</a>)
+    #
+    # and
+    #
+    #   = surround '*' do
+    #     %strong angry
+    #
+    # makes
+    #
+    #   *<strong>angry</strong>*
+    #
+    def surround(front, back = nil, &block)
+      back ||= front
+      output = capture_haml(&block)
+      
+      "#{front}#{output.chomp}#{back}\n"
+    end
+    
+    # Prepends the given character to the beginning of the Haml block,
+    # with no whitespace between.
+    # For example:
+    #
+    #   = precede '*' do
+    #     %span.small Not really
+    #
+    # compiles to
+    #
+    #   *<span class='small'>Not really</span>
+    #
+    def precede(char, &block)
+      "#{char}#{capture_haml(&block).chomp}\n"
+    end
+    
+    # Appends the given character to the end of the Haml block,
+    # with no whitespace between.
+    # For example:
+    #
+    #   click
+    #   = succeed '.' do
+    #     %a{:href=>"thing"} here
+    #
+    # compiles to
+    #
+    #   click
+    #   <a href='thing'>here</a>.
+    #
+    def succeed(char, &block)
+      "#{capture_haml(&block).chomp}#{char}\n"
+    end
+    
     # Captures the result of the given block of Haml code,
     # gets rid of the excess indentation,
     # and returns it as a string.
diff --git a/test/results/helpers.xhtml b/test/results/helpers.xhtml
index b40e3627..4e2d8633 100644
--- a/test/results/helpers.xhtml
+++ b/test/results/helpers.xhtml
@@ -35,7 +35,11 @@
       <!-- Invisible -->
     </div>
   </div>
+  (<strong>parentheses!</strong>)
 </div>
+*<span class='small'>Not really</span>
+click
+<a href='thing'>here</a>.
 <p>baz</p>
                     <p>boom</p>
 foo
diff --git a/test/templates/helpers.haml b/test/templates/helpers.haml
index 3d66acaa..52810206 100644
--- a/test/templates/helpers.haml
+++ b/test/templates/helpers.haml
@@ -19,6 +19,13 @@
         %h1 Big!
         %p Small
         / Invisible
+  = surround '(', ')' do
+    %strong parentheses!
+= precede '*' do
+  %span.small Not really
+click
+= succeed '.' do
+  %a{:href=>"thing"} here
 %p baz
 - buffer.tabulation = 10
 %p boom