test1.py
--------
print '.'[0]
--------

% ~/jython2.5.3b1/bin/jython test1.py
.

% ~//jython2.5.3b1/jython -m py_compile test1.py

% java -cp ~/jython2.5.3b1/jython.jar:. test1\$py
.

test2.py
--------
'.'[0].__class__
--------


% ~/jython2.5.3b1/bin/jython test2.py
% ~//jython2.5.3b1/jython -m py_compile test2.py
%  java -cp ~/jython2.5.3b1/jython.jar:. test2\$py
Exception in thread "main" Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "test2$py", line 1, in <module>
java.lang.NullPointerException
	at org.python.core.PyObject.object___findattr__(PyObject.java:3699)
	at org.python.core.PyObject.__findattr_ex__(PyObject.java:887)
	at org.python.core.PyObject.__getattr__(PyObject.java:923)
	at test2$py.f$0(/home/joel/software/tests/test2.py:1)
	at test2$py.call_function(/home/joel/software/tests/test2.py)
	at org.python.core.PyTableCode.call(PyTableCode.java:165)
	at org.python.core.PyCode.call(PyCode.java:18)
	at org.python.core.imp.createFromCode(imp.java:386)
	at org.python.core.imp.createFromCode(imp.java:357)
	at org.python.core.Py.runMain(Py.java:964)
	at test2$py.main(/home/joel/software/tests/test2.py)

java.lang.NullPointerException: java.lang.NullPointerException