이 글은 한국 민담에 나타난 샤머니즘적 모티프를 연구한 것이다. 특히 시베리아의 샤머니즘을 중심으로 한국의 일부 민담에 한하여 논구하였다. 남자가 주인공인 한국의 <신데렐라> 이야기에서는 하늘을 나는 말, 주술적 옷, 악기 등을 통해 시베리아 샤먼의 비행(飛行)과 관련된 관념을 읽어내었고 또한 의례와 관련지을 만한 이미지들을 꼽아보았다. <새털옷 입고 빼앗긴 각시 되찾기> 이야기에서는 새를 모방한 샤먼의 주술적 옷과 관련지어 역시 샤먼의 비행 능력과 의례 행위를 중심으로 모티프를 살폈다. 마지막에 언급된 여타 모티프에 관한 언급은 본고의 내구성을 기하고 후속 연구를 기대하며 기술한 것으로, <여우구슬>, <구복 여행>, <혼쥐>, <짐승 말 알아듣는 며느리> 이야기를 짚어보았다. 샤먼의 행적 및 샤머니즘적 세계관은 인류의 정신에 크게 관여했을 것이고 서사문학의 형성 및 발전에도 영향을 주었을 것이다. 본고를 통해 민담의 창작 동기에, 시베리아 샤머니즘이 중요한 기여를 했을 가능성을 엿보았다.

This study is concerned with a shamanistic motif shown in Korean folk tales. In particular, the study limited its topic only with some of the Korean folk tales focusing on the shamanism of Siberia. The study read a notion related to the flying of a Siberian shaman through flying horses, occult clothes, and musical instruments in a Korean-style ‘Cinderella story’, in which not a woman but a man is the hero. Also, the study selected some images which may be aligned with shamanistic ceremonies. In the story of regaining a stolen wife by wearing clothes made of bird feathers, the study looked specifically into a motif of flying ability and also the ceremonial act of a shaman in relation to the occult garments of a shaman, which imitated a bird. Lastly, the study mentioned other aforementioned motifs in expectation of follow-up research while intending to add substantiality to this study. Thus, the study reviewed stories about fox beads, travels for seeking blessings, a spiritual mouse(혼쥐), and a daughter-in-law who understood the speech of a beast. Shaman’s works and a shamanistic world view might have significantly contributed to the spirit of human beings, and also they might have affected the creation and advance of epic literature. The study witnessed a possibility that Siberian shamanism would have been a great contributor to the motivation for creating folk tales.

This study is concerned with a shamanistic motif shown in Korean folk tales. In particular, the study limited its topic only with some of the Korean folk tales focusing on the shamanism of Siberia. The study read a notion related to the flying of a Siberian shaman through flying horses, occult clothes, and musical instruments in a Korean-style ‘Cinderella story’, in which not a woman but a man is the hero. Also, the study selected some images which may be aligned with shamanistic ceremonies. In the story of regaining a stolen wife by wearing clothes made of bird feathers, the study looked specifically into a motif of flying ability and also the ceremonial act of a shaman in relation to the occult garments of a shaman, which imitated a bird. Lastly, the study mentioned other aforementioned motifs in expectation of follow-up research while intending to add substantiality to this study. Thus, the study reviewed stories about fox beads, travels for seeking blessings, a spiritual mouse(혼쥐), and a daughter-in-law who understood the speech of a beast. Shaman’s works and a shamanistic world view might have significantly contributed to the spirit of human beings, and also they might have affected the creation and advance of epic literature. The study witnessed a possibility that Siberian shamanism would have been a great contributor to the motivation for creating folk tales.

folk tale, shamanism, motif, Cinderella, robe of feathers