diff --git a/object.c b/object.c
index f2c0319..a9002d4 100644
--- a/object.c
+++ b/object.c
@@ -24,8 +24,11 @@ void *memcheck(void *ptr)
     return ptr;
 }
 
+unsigned long long nalloc= 0;
+
 void *xmalloc(size_t n)
 {
+    nalloc += n;
 #if (USE_GC)
     void *mem= GC_malloc(n);
     assert(mem);
@@ -37,6 +40,7 @@ void *xmalloc(size_t n)
 
 void *xrealloc(void *p, size_t n)
 {
+    nalloc += n;
 #if (USE_GC)
     void *mem= GC_realloc(p, n);
     assert(mem);
@@ -53,6 +57,7 @@ char *xstrdup(char *s)
     char  *mem= GC_malloc_atomic(len + 1);
     assert(mem);
     memcpy(mem, s, len + 1);
+    nalloc += len;
 #else
     char *mem= memcheck(strdup(s));
 #endif
diff --git a/parse.leg b/parse.leg
index abb4624..21f7f21 100644
--- a/parse.leg
+++ b/parse.leg
@@ -1910,6 +1910,12 @@ oop prim_import(oop scope, oop params)
     return null;
 }
 
+oop prim_String(oop scope, oop params)
+{
+    if (!map_hasIntegerKey(params, 0)) return null;
+    return makeString(printString(get(params, Map, elements)[0].value));
+}
+
 oop prim_scope(oop scope, oop params)
 {
     return scope;
@@ -1943,6 +1949,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     map_set(globals, intern("clone"       ), makeFunction(prim_clone,        intern("clone"       ), null, null, globals, null));
     map_set(globals, intern("import"      ), makeFunction(prim_import,       intern("import"      ), null, null, globals, null));
     map_set(globals, intern("microseconds"), makeFunction(prim_microseconds, intern("microseconds"), null, null, globals, null));
+    map_set(globals, intern("String"      ), makeFunction(prim_String      , intern("String"      ), null, null, globals, null));
 
     map_set(globals, intern("scope"), makeFunction(prim_scope, intern("scope"), null, null, globals, null));
 
@@ -1981,6 +1988,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
         readEvalPrint(globals, NULL);
     }
 
+    printf("[GC: %lli bytes allocated]\n", nalloc);
+
     return 0;
 
     (void)yyAccept;