Read this excerpt from The People Could Fly For John knew exactly what the slaveowner wanted done and exactly when he wanted it done, as well. The truth was that John collected all he needed to know from eavesdroppin, by listenin in on the slaveowner and his wife while they ate their supper. Which element of a folktale is included in this excerpt? It includes a clever person who plays a trick on someone else. It has different versions, depending on the storyteller. It describes a person who has an exaggerated ability. It is orally passed down through generations.