A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.
Overview
Little Silver dreams that she sails past an island whose people gather around a great wine jar. Younger members have long scarlet hair; the older ones have reddish-grey locks and aged faces. They drink and dance, then gather shells, prepare mortar and bring coral from beneath the sea to construct a storehouse. Even their work is accompanied by drinking.
The sailors explain that the King of the Shōji stores there the life, health, happiness and property that human drinkers surrender in exchange for his sake. This is the narrative’s moral explanation of their wealth, not a demonstrated transfer from a particular waking victim. The story connects their cups and dippers with pictures on picnic boxes and sayings about excessive drinking. An elder’s two remaining teeth merely make him look like an oni; the comparison does not identify him as one.
The entire encounter is enclosed within the child’s dream, which ends when her imagined ship strikes a rock. The reteller keeps the name Shōji in this edition; no modern spelling or separate species identity is imposed here without comparison. Griffis’s preface acknowledges authored sketches alongside translations and condensed narratives, so this scene remains an English literary witness rather than an unqualified description of Japanese religious belief.
Origins & earliest records
Japanese narrative in an English literary collection
Records & interpretation
Complete relevant chapter and editorial preface read.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
Japanese Fairy World: Stories from the Wonder-Lore of Japan
XIII, Little Silver’s Dream of the Shoji, pp.102–111
Family & connections
A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.
Primary records and illustrations
William Elliot Griffis, Japanese Fairy World (1887 edition)
English literary collection; preface dated1880. XIII, Little Silver’s Dream of the Shoji, pp.102–111
Complete chapter and preface directly read. The entire encounter is enclosed within the child’s dream, which ends when her imagined ship strikes a rock. The reteller keeps the name Shōji in this edition; no modern spelling or separate species identity is imposed here without comparison. Griffis’s preface acknowledges authored sketches alongside translations and condensed narratives, so this scene remains an English literary witness rather than an unqualified description of Japanese religious belief.
References
Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.
- Historical English literary retellingGriffis, Japanese Fairy World (1887), XIII, Little Silver’s Dream of the Shoji, pp.102–111Research access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.
