Toddler humor is sometimes to purposely ignore the figure-ground relationship.
On this day, however, he had become intent on drawing on the table with a marker pen. I was in the process of removing the pen, so his attention was drawn to my hand.
He was not angry at me, nor had he any notion to engage in a struggle with a “giant,” but he was furious at the small hand that has thwarting his intentions.
In the excitement, he lost sight of the connection I had to the hand, and proceeded to rigorously try and spear it with a pencil.
On a happier note, it is humorous to three year olds, who understand the connection, to ignore the relationship as a joke. Hence, a hand, which is trying to snatch the child’s toy or tickle a rib becomes an free agent to be attacked, but only in pretend.