$ time ./wc.py wc.pl wc.py large.txt
     21      58     494 wc.pl
     25      96     698 wc.py
 382230 1290003 11930691 large.txt
 382276 1290157 11931883 total

real    0m7.922s
user    0m7.218s
sys     0m0.124s

$ time ./wc.pl wc.pl wc.py large.txt
     21      58     494 wc.pl
     25      96     698 wc.py
 382230 1290003 11930691 large.txt
 382276 1290157 11931883 total

real    0m4.484s
user    0m4.186s
sys     0m0.093s

##</code><code>##

#!/usr/bin/python
import sys
files = map(lambda f: open(f), sys.argv[1:]) or [sys.stdin]
Twords = Tlines = Tchars = 0
for file in files:
    words = lines = chars = 0
    for line in file.xreadlines():
        lines += 1
        words += len(line.split())
        chars += len(line)
    print "%7d %7d %7d %s" % (lines, words, chars, file.name)

    Twords += words
    Tlines += lines
    Tchars += chars
if len(sys.argv) > 2:
    print "%7d %7d %7d total" % (Tlines, Twords, Tchars)
##</code><code>##

$ time ./wc.py wc.pl wc.py large.txt
     21      58     494 wc.pl
     17      74     518 wc.py
 382230 1290003 11930691 large.txt
 382268 1290135 11931703 total

real    0m6.157s
user    0m6.046s
sys     0m0.124s