An XML::LibXML::Element object is returned. XML::LibXML::Element has XML::LibXML::Node for base class. This later has a method called toString which you should find useful.

By the way, the first two characters of the first two characters of "./foo" are redundant. You can simply use "foo". The following are all equivalent:

• "foo" (short for "descendant::foo")
• "./foo" (short for "descendant::./descendant::foo")
• "././foo" (short for "descendant::./descendant::./descendant::foo")
• "foo/." (short for "descendant::foo/descendant::.")
• "./foo/." (short for "descendant::./descendant::foo/descendant::.")