Javascript element content without child elements CS3

Hi,

i have the following problem which i hope you guys can help me with.

i have create the following xml structure in idesign

<root>

<story>

     <element1>

          <subelement>this is some content in subelement</subelement>

          this is some content in element1

     </element1>

</story>

</root>

now i want to get with javascript the content of element1.

but then i use the following code

var xmlelement = some code to get element1

xmlelement.contents or xmlelement.xmlContent.contents

i get this text returned

this is some content in subelement

this is some content in element1

and not only this text

this is some content in element1

i want only the content from element1 and not element1 and all his sub elements