<?php
$xmlElement = new SimpleXMLElement('<books><book>PHP Basics</book><book>XML basics</book></books>');
$xmlElement->rewind(); // 最初の要素に巻き戻します
$xmlElement->next();
var_dump($xmlElement->current());
?>
object(SimpleXMLElement)#2 (1) {
[0]=>
string(10) "XML basics"
}