# Python 3, <s>126</s> <s>116</s> 112 bytes <!-- language-all: lang-python --> **Edit:** I'm keeping the other answer because it's cool, but this is shorter. from time import* "Monkey Rooster Dog Pig Rat Ox Tiger Rabbit Dragon Snake Goat".split()[localtime().tm_year%12] If trailing whitespace is ok, then it's 126 bytes. If not, it's 134 bytes after adding `.strip()` to the end of the code. from datetime import* "MRDPROTRDSHGoooiaxiarnoonoggt gbaaraks ebgkstet rioee ye tn r"[datetime.now().year%12::12]