Storigami: Storytelling and origami by Rachel Katz

STORIGAMI by Rachel Katz


	NODDING BIRD by Rachel Katz The story is based on a model by Kasahara I heard there was a very unusual bird that could nod its head up and down and even from side to side. Use a square of paper.

	1 It's known as the "Nodding Bird" and the only place you can find it is near the diamond lake. Place the paper down like a baseball diamond with the colored side up.		2 I learned that best time to find the bird was in the winter when the hills are covered with snow. So I started my quest by climbing a hill. Fold the bottom corner to the top.

	3 It was so cold, I had to clap my hands to keep them warm. Fold one side corner over to the other to make a smaller triangle.		4 I didn't find any sign of the bird but I did find a cave. I was brave enough to explore the inside of the cave. Put your finger under the top layer and press down as you "climb" to the top opening up the paper a bit.

	5 Luckily, there were no bats at the top of the cave but I came outside to find a baseball diamond. Squash fold the triangle into a square.		6 It was no fun watching the game as the player on first base had an argument with the player on third base." Fold the two side points to the middle but do not let them actually touch.

	7 So, since I was at the lake, I decided to take out a boat to look for the nodding bird. Fold up the "first base" flap from step 6 to meet the "third base" one. Next, orient the paper to resemble a sailboat.		8 Show the sailboat Unfortunately, there was no wind, and the boat hardly moved. My family must have felt sorry for me, because, the next thing I knew, they came along side in a speedboat. Fold the triangle as shown, carefully folding almost nothing at the top but pulling the paper to the left and below forming the speedboat. Repeat behind.

	9 The speedboat took me quickly away where I was met by a giant bird. "Oh, could you be the bird that can nod its head, I asked." Fold a small piece as shown for the head. Crease very well as you will need to outside reverse fold this. To do this, unfold the head, then open the back a little and look for the fold you just made. Wrap the paper around to the front on each side of the bird using that crease. The head is now the same on both sides.		10 "Is it too difficult for us to learn to fold this origami bird? Pinching with one hand beneath the head and the other on the lower dot , pull down and up on these point causing the head to nod. Move your pinch a little higher (to the upper dot) so that you feel all the layers and move your thumb (or wrist if necessary) back and forth to make it move in a negative response. So, if we become good custodians of the earth, many species will be around for a very long time.
	Copyright 2003 Rachel Katz Diagrammed by Katrin and Yuri Shumakov