class REXML::Element

d.root.get_text(1) # => "this is bold!"

that matches +xpath+:
With argument +xpath+, returns the first text node from the element

d.root.get_text # => "some text "
d.root.get_text.class # => REXML::Text
d = REXML::Document.new "

some text this is bold! more text

"

With no argument, returns the first text node from +self+:

+nil+ otherwise.
Returns the first text node child in a specified element, if it exists,

get_text(xpath = nil) -> text_node or nil
:call-seq:

def get_text path = nil
  rv = nil
  if path
    element = @elements[ path ]
    rv = element.get_text unless element.nil?
  else
    rv = @children.find { |node| node.kind_of? Text }
  end
  return rv
end