# File temp/element.rb, line 224
                def namespace(prefix=nil)
                        if prefix.nil?
                                prefix = self.prefix()
                        end
                        if prefix == ''
                                prefix = "xmlns"
                        else
                                prefix = "xmlns:#{prefix}" unless prefix[0,5] == 'xmlns'
                        end
                        ns = attributes[ prefix ]
                        ns = parent.namespace(prefix) if ns.nil? and parent
                        ns = '' if ns.nil? and prefix == 'xmlns'
                        return ns
                end