diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5ca6e37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+.urchin_stdout
diff --git a/runtests b/runtests
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..4b252b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runtests
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+# Run urchin in a bunch of different shells,
+# including a shell that isn't quite POSIX-compatible (zsh)
+
+for shell in dash bash ksh oksh pdksh zsh; do
+  if which $shell > /dev/null 2> /dev/null; then
+    echo
+    echo Running urchin tests in $shell
+    $shell urchin tests | tail -n 2
+  else
+    echo
+    echo Skipping $shell because it is not in the PATH
+  fi
+done