Once in an early elementary classroom, I needed something in my desk,
and asked a child if he would get it for me. He said OK and asked where
it was. I said, "In the top right-hand drawer." There was a pause. Then he
said. "Whose right hand, mine or the desk's?"
For a second, I was baffled. What on earth could he mean? Then I saw
and understood. When he looked at the desk it was as if he saw a living
creature facing him. So I said. "Your right hand." Off he went, brought
back what I had asked for, and that was that.
Later it occurred to me that many young children must be animists, and
see objects as if they were living creatures I wondered how many of them
might have had that same question in their minds, without ever getting
arond to asking it.