# function smaller receives 2 parameters that are
    # pointers to integer values.  It returns the
    # value of the smaller parameter.  
    smaller:    # prologue:
          sub  $sp, $sp, 20  # allocate AR
          sw   $ra  20($sp)  # save return address
          sw   $8,  4($sp)   # save $8
          sw   $9,  8($sp)   # save $9
          sw   $10,  12($sp) # save $10
          sw   $11,  16($sp) # save $11

          lw   $8, 24($sp)   # first parameter is pointer
          lw   $9, ($8)      # get first integer value in $9 

          lw   $10, 28($sp)  # second parameter is pointer
          lw   $11, ($10)    # get second integer value  in $11

          ble  $9, $11, epilogue
          move $9, $11       # smaller value goes in $9

    epilogue:
          move $v0, $9       # set return value in $v0
          lw   $8,  4($sp)   # restore $8
          lw   $9,  8($sp)   # restore $9
          lw   $10,  12($sp) # restore $10
          lw   $11,  16($sp) # restore $11
          lw   $ra  20($sp)  # restore return address
          add  $sp, $sp, 20  # deallocate AR
          jr   $ra