us Python string types into a format that is
    # appropriate for .po files, namely much closer to C style.
    lines = s.split('\n')
    if len(lines) == 1:
        s = '"' + escape(s) + '"'
    else:
        if not lines[-1]:
            del lines[-1]
            lines[-1] = lines[-1] + '\n'
        for i in range(len(lines)):
            lines[i] = escape(lines[i])
        lineterm = '\\n"\n"'
        s = '""\n"' + lineterm.join(lines) + '"'
    return s