def encode_rail_fence(text: str, rails: int) -> str:
    if rails == len(text) or rails == 1:
        return text

    period = 2 * (rails - 1)
    result = [""] * rails
    for i in enumerate(text):
        if (i[0] % period) < rails:
            r = i[0] % period
        else:
            r = period - (i[0] % period)
        result[r] += i[1]

    return "".join(result)