my $xml = <<'EOD' ;
<database name="somedb">
  <table name="table1">
    <column name="column11" javaname="jn11" type="CHAR" />
    <column name="column12" javaname="jn12" type="CHAR" />
  </table>
  <table name="table2">
    <column name="column21" javaname="jn21" type="CHAR" />
    <column name="column22" javaname="jn22" type="CHAR" />
  </table>
</database>

EOD

my $data = XMLin( $xml, forcearray => 1 ) ;

foreach my $key ( keys %{$data->{'table'}} )
 {
    foreach my $column ( keys %{$data->{'table'}->{$key}->{column}} )
    {
        print "table = $key; column = $column\n" ;
    }
}