code: private Object parseXmlElement(Element element) {
          if(element.getFirstChild() instanceof Text) {
              Text text = (Text) element.getFirstChild();
              return text.getData();
          }
          return element;
      }
docs: Returns the XML Element as a String if it contains a Text as the first child, else the
  element itself is returned.
  
  @param element XML Element to convert.
  
  @return he XML Element as a String if it contains a Text as the first child.