<SYSTEM_TASK:>
Solve the following problem using Python, implementing the functions described below, one line at a time
<END_TASK>
<USER_TASK:>
Description:
 def permute(elements):
 """ returns a list with the permuations. """

    if len(elements) <= 1:
        return [elements]
    else:
        tmp = []
        for perm in permute(elements[1:]):
            for i in range(len(elements)):
                tmp.append(perm[:i] + elements[0:1] + perm[i:])
        return tmp