Imagine you are about to walk through a mountain park. You find a trail, but don't know where it goes. You get on the trail and soon see the trail branch off in three directions, but with no indication which trail is the right one. You explore two and find they are dead ends. You take the third and it brings you back where you started.
Many stories do the same.
Now, imagine you are in a park and you and a friend pass a refreshment stand and are tantalized by the smell of food. You decide to have a picnic. You set out for the picnic area, following the signs. A well marked trail takes you in the right direction, and several loop trails take you past interesting sights on the way. You get to the picnic area having enjoyed several views.