(defun quote-region (start end &optional string)
  (interactive "r") ; start and end are region endpoints
  (or string
      (if (boundp 'quoted-text-prefix)
	   (setq string quoted-text-prefix)
	(setq string ">")))
  (let ((len (length string)))
    (save-excursion
      (goto-char start)
      (or (bolp)
	  (progn
	    (insert "\n")         ; force newline at start of region
	    (setq end (1+ end))))
      (while (< (point) end)
	(insert string)
	(setq end (+ end len))    ; insertion changed endpoint
      (beginning-of-line 2)) )))  ; beginning of next line


(defun unquote-region (start end &optional string)
  (interactive "r")
  (or string
      (if (boundp 'quoted-text-chars)
	  (setq string quoted-text-chars)
	(setq string "><\]\[:;\\|# \t")))
  (let ((re (concat "^["
		    string
;		    (regexp-quote string)
		    "]")))
    (save-excursion
      (goto-char start)
      (beginning-of-line) ; start at beginning of first line of region
      (while (< (point) end)
	(cond
	 ((looking-at re)
	  (delete-char 1) (1- end)))
	(beginning-of-line 2)) )))