All accounted for: $VAR1 = { 'one' => [ '1' ], 'twelve' => [ '12' ], 'two' => [ '2' ] }; Here too: $VAR1 = [ '12', '1', '2' ]; Where are one and two? $VAR1 = { 'one' => '1', 'twelve' => '12', 'two' => '2' };