gistfile1.py

import itertools

def variable_grouper(it):
    """Group the input iterable into chunks of sizes read from the iterable itself.
    
    Example:
        Input iterable: 2 a b 3 c d e
        Output iterable: (a b) (c d e)
    """
    it = iter(it)
    while True:
        group_length = next(it)
        yield itertools.islice(it, group_length)

# Code written to work in both Python 2 and 3
print(list(map(tuple, variable_grouper([2, "a", "b", 3, "c", "d", "e"]))))