diff --git a/modules/aiml/AIML.pl b/modules/aiml/AIML.pl
index 5c55a09..ae47226 100755
--- a/modules/aiml/AIML.pl
+++ b/modules/aiml/AIML.pl
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@ my $xml    = $parser->XMLin($aiml);
 print "xml: " . Dumper($xml) . "\n";
 
 
-our $knowledge = {};
+my $knowledge = {};
+my $star;
+
 foreach my $c (@{$xml->{category}}) {
 	print "pattern: $c->{pattern}\n";
 	&addKnowledge($knowledge,$c->{pattern},$c->{template});
@@ -38,14 +40,15 @@ while(my $input = <STDIN>) {
 sub findAnswer {
 	my ($struct,$input) = @_;
 	my ($key,$rest) = split(/\s+/,$input,2);
-	$key = '*' unless($struct->{uc($key)});
+	unless($struct->{uc($key)}) {
+		$star = $key;
+		$key  = '*';
+	}
 	if($rest) {
 		if($struct->{uc($key)}) {
 			&findAnswer($struct->{uc($key)},$rest);
 		} elsif($struct->{template}) {
 			return(&parseAnswer($struct));
-		} elsif($struct->{'*'}) {
-			&findAnswer($struct->{'*'},$rest);
 		}
 	} else {
 		return(&parseAnswer($struct->{uc($key)}));
@@ -70,8 +73,11 @@ sub addKnowledge {
 	my ($ref,$pattern,$template) = @_;
 	my ($key,$rest) = split(/\s+/,$pattern,2);
 	if($rest) {
+		print "addKnowledge(): $key:$rest ref=" . ref($ref) . "\n";	
+		$ref->{uc($key)} = {} unless(exists $ref->{uc($key)});
 		&addKnowledge($ref->{uc($key)},$rest,$template);
 	} else {
+		print "addKnowledge(): $key:$template\n";	
 		$ref->{uc($key)}->{template} = $template;
 	}
 	return(1);
diff --git a/modules/aiml/knowledge/main.aiml b/modules/aiml/knowledge/main.aiml
index 5c5a7d5..3f0b542 100644
--- a/modules/aiml/knowledge/main.aiml
+++ b/modules/aiml/knowledge/main.aiml
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
     <pattern>HELLO</pattern>
     <template>Hi there!</template>
   </category>
+  <category>
+    <pattern>how are you</pattern>
+    <template>Feelin fine, thank you!</template>
+  </category>
   <category>
     <pattern>*</pattern>
     <template>