Origami Swan

Origami is a magic stage illusion with a Japanese paperfolding theme that was designed by Jim Steinmeyer. In the 1980's Illusion builder John Gaughan refined the concept and constructed the first version for Doug Henning.

The magician displays a 12-inch cube that sits on top and near one end of a rectangular table, with a mirror standing vertically at the opposite end (as the magician says, "so you can see the back of the box at all times"). The magician opens the top of the box which is hinged at one side, and proceeds to unfold the sides, enlarging the box until it is about twice as long and touching the mirror, and about twice as tall.

The lady assistant steps up onto the table and then into the box. After she crouches down inside the box, the magician dramatically folds the box back into a 12-inch cube, which appears to be too small for the woman to fit inside.

The magician then takes three swords and stabs them through slits in the center of each face of the box; the first from front to back, the second from one side to the other side, and then stands on the table to insert the third sword from top to bottom.

The magician rotates the table around a full circle to show all sides. Then he removes the swords, unfolds the box once again to its full size, and the lady steps out unharmed.

For example to make a swan with a piece of paper:


source site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origami_(magic_trick)