def normalize_path(path):
    """
    Normalize ``path``.
    
    It returns ``path`` with leading and trailing slashes, and no multiple
    continuous slashes.
    
    """
    if path:
        if path[0] != "/":
            path = "/" + path
        
        if path[-1] != "/":
            path = path + "/"
        
        path = _MULTIPLE_PATHS.sub("/", path)
    else:
        path = "/"
    
    return path

    Normalize ``path``.
    
    It returns ``path`` with leading and trailing slashes, and no multiple
    continuous slashes.
    
    
recipes/Python/577023_Normalizing_paths/recipe-577023.py