diff --git a/vm/symboltable.cpp b/vm/symboltable.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b3586da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vm/symboltable.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+#include "symboltable.hpp"
+
+namespace rubinius {
+  SymbolPair::SymbolPair(long sym, char* str, SymbolPair* next) {
+
+  }
+
+  SymbolPair::~SymbolPair() {
+
+  }
+
+
+  SymbolTable::SymbolTable(long first_symbol) {
+    base = first_symbol;
+  }
+
+  SymbolTable::~SymbolTable() {
+
+  }
+
+  long SymbolTable::allocate_symbol() {
+    return ++base;
+  }
+
+  SYMBOL SymbolTable::lookup(STATE, const char* str, size_t size) {
+    SYMBOL sym;
+    return sym;
+  }
+
+  SYMBOL SymbolTable::lookup(STATE, String* str) {
+    SYMBOL sym;
+    return sym;
+  }
+
+  String* SymbolTable::symbol_to_string(STATE, Symbol* sym) {
+    String* str;
+    return str;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/vm/symboltable.hpp b/vm/symboltable.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..449353f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vm/symboltable.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+#include "oop.hpp"
+#include "prelude.hpp"
+
+#include <map>
+#include <string>
+
+namespace rubinius {
+  class SymbolPair {
+  public:
+    long symbol;
+    std::string str;
+    SymbolPair* next;
+
+    SymbolPair(long sym, char* str, SymbolPair* next);
+    ~SymbolPair();
+  };
+
+  typedef std::map<hashval, SymbolPair> symbol_map;
+
+  class String;
+
+  class SymbolTable {
+  public:
+    SymbolTable(long first_symbol = 0);
+    ~SymbolTable();
+
+    SYMBOL lookup(STATE, const char* str, size_t size = 0);
+    SYMBOL lookup(STATE, String* str);
+    String* symbol_to_string(STATE, Symbol* sym);
+
+  private:
+    symbol_map symbols;
+    long base;
+  };
+};