The traditional swan is a easy origami figure and depends on the basic figure dragon. Please go back to the dragon page if you don't know, how a the basic figure will be folded.

Just a few more steps for finishing the swan:

Step #1
After you have tourned around the dragon figure, you have to do the same steps in principle as you did for the dragon.
Start with the right side again and fold the right edge below the corner inwards to the mountain fold, so that the edge rests in the middle of the mountain fold.

Step #2
Do the same step with the left side.
Fold the left edge below the corner inwards to the mountain fold, so that the edge rests in the middle of the mountain fold. But be careful. The two corners should be at the same height.

Step #3
Now you have to fold a horizontally valley fold.
Please note that the most acute cusp at the bottom is put onto the topmost cusp.

Step #4
What you have to do next, is called an outside reverse fold for the head of the swan.
You can decide how big the head should be but don't fold it too small because the neck of the swan is quite long. A good size would be a third of the neck.

Step #5
That's the end of creating a swan out of paper.
Just the neck has to be erected a little bit, because it is lying on his back now. Don't forget to compress the two new foldings at the front of the swan.

If you have done this you can put the swan onto the table and it will sit there nicely.