** indexing into a list variable
   :PROPERTIES:
   :DATE:     2011-07-06
   :END:

#+begin_src emacs-lisp :var lst='(0 1 2)
  (first lst)
#+end_src

#+name:
: 0

or as a noweb reference

#+name: external-list
- 0
- 1
- 2

#+begin_src sh :noweb yes
  echo <<external-list()[0]>>
#+end_src

#+name:
: 0