"""A simple example of a recursive function"""

def print_stars(n) :
    if (n == 1) :
        # base case - print one star
        print '*'
    else :
        # recursive case - print one more star
        print '*',
        print_stars(n - 1)

# here's a version with an even simpler base case

def print_stars2(n) :
    if (n == 0) :
        # base case - end the line of input
        print
    else :
        # recursive case; print one more star
        print '*',
        print_stars2(n - 1)