JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<link rel="stylesheet" href="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.4/themes/ui-lightness/jquery-ui.css">
<div>
    
    <!-- even though it is nested, 
        this <a> will be first 
        when searching for tagName-->
    <div>
        <a><span>sorry!</span></a>
    </div>
    
    <div>
        <a><span>sorry!</span></a>
    </div>
    
    <a><span>sorry!</span></a>
    
    <a><span>sorry!</span></a>
    
    <a><span>sorry!</span></a>
    
    <a><span style="color:blue;">CLICK THIS ONE</span></a>
    
    <a><span>sorry!</span></a>
    
    <a><span>sorry!</span></a>
    
    <a><span>sorry!</span></a>
    
</div>

JavaScript

function q(elem) {
    var tag = elem.tagName;
    var idx = 0;
    $.each($(elem).parent().children(tag), function(i) {
        if (this === elem) {
            idx = i;
            return false;
        }
    });
    idx++;
    return $(tag + ':eq(' + idx + ') > span', $(elem).parent());
}

$('a').click(function() {
    var result = q(this);

    alert(result.html());

});