def shorten(text, length=25, indicator="..."):
    """Returns text or a truncated copy with the indicator added

    text is any string; length is the maximum length of the returned
    string (including any indicator); indicator is the string added at
    the end to indicate that the text has been shortened

    >>> shorten("Second Variety")
    'Second Variety'
    >>> shorten("Voices from the Street", 17)
    'Voices from th...'
    >>> shorten("Radio Free Albemuth", 10, "*")
    'Radio Fre*'
    """
    if len(text) > length:
        text = text[:length - len(indicator)] + indicator
    return text