gistfile1.diff

diff --git a/metamagic/json/encoder.py b/metamagic/json/encoder.py
index 5c5c18a..200e954 100644
--- a/metamagic/json/encoder.py
+++ b/metamagic/json/encoder.py
@@ -37,6 +37,11 @@ BASE_ESCAPE_DCT.update({
 ESCAPE_DCT = {'"': '\\"'}
 ESCAPE_DCT.update(BASE_ESCAPE_DCT)
 
+try:
+    basestring = basestring
+except NameError:
+    basestring = str
+
 
 class Encoder:
     """A Python implementation of a JSON encoder for Python objects designed
@@ -349,7 +354,7 @@ class Encoder:
         if isinstance(obj, UUID):
             return '"' + str(obj) + '"'
 
-        if isinstance(obj, str):
+        if isinstance(obj, basestring):
             return self._encode_str(obj)
 
         if isinstance(obj, (list, tuple, set, frozenset, Set)):
@@ -370,7 +375,7 @@ class Encoder:
 
         return self._encode(self.default(obj))
 
-    def dumps(self, obj, *, max_nested_level=100):
+    def dumps(self, obj, max_nested_level=100):
         """Returns a string representing a JSON-encoding of ``obj``.
 
            The second optional ``max_nested_level`` argument controls the maximum
@@ -381,7 +386,7 @@ class Encoder:
         self._max_nested_level = max_nested_level
         return self._encode(obj)
 
-    def dumpb(self, obj, *, max_nested_level=100):
+    def dumpb(self, obj, max_nested_level=100):
         """Similar to ``dumps()``, but returns ``bytes`` instead of a ``string``"""
         self._max_nested_level = max_nested_level
         return self._encode(obj).encode('utf-8')