code: def to_native_string(string, encoding='ascii'):
      
      out = None
  
      if isinstance(string, builtin_str):
          out = string
      else:
          if is_py2:
              out = string.encode(encoding)
          else:
              out = string.decode(encoding)
  
      return out
docs: Given a string object, regardless of type, returns a representation of that
      string in the native string type, encoding and decoding where necessary.
      This assumes ASCII unless told otherwise.