But this accurate information is not what the child requires.

If the mother possessed it, it would be useless for her to attempt to communicate it to him.

In the sense in which he asks the question she _does_ understand it, and can give him a perfectly satisfactory answer.
"How high is it in the sky, mother, to where the snow comes from ?" asks the child.
"Oh, _very_ high--higher than the top of the house," replies the mother.
"As high as the top of the chimney ?" "Yes, higher than that." "As high as the moon ?" "No, not so high as the moon." "How high is it then, mother ?" "About as high as birds can fly." "Oh!" says Johnny, perfectly satisfied.
The answer is somewhat indefinite, it is true, but its indefiniteness is the chief element in the value of it.

A definite and precise answer, even if one of that character were ready at hand, would be utterly inappropriate to the occasion.
_An Answer may even be good which gives no Information at all_.
4.

It is not even always necessary that an answer to a child's question should convey _any information at all_.