my@mybox:~/sandbox
$ ./2.pl data.txt
jones = HASH(0x40017524)
        jenny = circle
        ted = circle
knight = HASH(0x4001738c)
        ted = triangle
$VAR1 = {
          'jones' => {
                       'jenny' => 'circle',
                       'ted' => 'circle'
                     },
          'knight' => {
                        'ted' => 'triangle'
                      }
        };
my@mybox:~/sandbox
$ cat data.txt
ted jones square
ted jones circle
ted knight triangle
jenny jones circle