'get node type and content
:param node: node in form of list, or BLANK_NODE
:return: node type'

def _get_node_type(self, node):

    if (node == BLANK_NODE):
        return NODE_TYPE_BLANK
    if (len(node) == 2):
        nibbles = unpack_to_nibbles(node[0])
        has_terminator = (nibbles and (nibbles[(-1)] == NIBBLE_TERMINATOR))
        return (NODE_TYPE_LEAF if has_terminator else NODE_TYPE_EXTENSION)
    if (len(node) == 17):
        return NODE_TYPE_BRANCH
