def _truncate_description(original_description, word_cnt_to_include):
    """
    This function will truncate the stripped doc string to a more manageable
    length for incorporation into wrapped vistrails functions

    Parameters
    ----------
    original_description : list
        This object is the original description stripped from the
        doc string. The object is actually a list of strings.

    word_cnt_to_include : int
        specify the number of words to trim the description down to

    Returns
    -------
    short_description : string
        truncated description that will be passed into vistrails
    """
    short_description = original_description[0]
    # need this twice, might as well stash it
    sd_words = short_description.split(' ')
    # if it's too long, drop some words
    if len(sd_words) > word_cnt_to_include:
        short_description = ' '.join(sd_words[:word_cnt_to_include])

    return short_description