Question

So whenever a farmer's wife gave him an apple to eat he carefully saved every seed that lay hidden in the heart of the apple, and next day as he trudged along he would stoop down every now and then and plant a few of the seeds and then carefully cover them with the rich black soil of the prairie. Then he would look up reverently to the sky and say, "I can but plant the seed, dear Lord, and Thy clouds may water them, but Thou alone can give the increase. Thou only can cause this tiny seed to grow into a tree whose fruit shall feed my fellow-men."

How does this excerpt show the story is a folktale?

Johnny Appleseed tells tales full of exaggerations.
Johnny Appleseed passes his story down through generations.
Johnny Appleseed is dealing with a common, everyday occurrence.
Johnny Appleseed plays tricks on the people he meets along his path.

Answer 1

The excerpt shows that the story is a folktale primarily because "Johnny Appleseed passes his story down through generations." Folktales often involve characters and themes that are shared and retold over time, establishing a cultural tradition. In this context, Johnny Appleseed's actions and philosophies about planting seeds and the reverence for nature reflect the values and morals that are commonly found in folktales, which often emphasize a connection to the land and a respect for the natural world.