While pianists are still "living organisms," the mystery of "Fossils" further deepens the confusion. Although there are various types of fossils—ammonites, trilobites, archaeopteryx—what the composer envisioned here was a dinosaur, like a Tyrannosaurus. He even drew an illustration in his autograph score.  

Thus, the question of what kind of fossil it is is easily resolved, but then arises the problem of what this dinosaur symbolizes. Having seen various instances of black humor so far, it's impossible that "Fossils" signifies nothing, but without direct testimony from the composer himself, there is no definitive answer. Below, I will present my interpretation. First, Saint-Saëns's own theme from Danse Macabre appears at the beginning, played on the xylophone, presenting the image of a dinosaur fossil rattling its bones while performing a dance of the dead. Subsequently, French folk songs known to everyone—'J'ai du bon tabac,' 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,' and 'Au clair de la lune'—are quoted. This peaceful, fairytale-like world, compared to the black humor seen so far, feels somewhat suspicious, giving the impression of the calm before a storm. True to this expectation, an outrageous joke awaits in the second part, after the Danse Macabre theme is played again. It is the clarinet melody. This is formed by two melodies joined together; the first part is the song 'Partant pour la Syrie.' While Japanese people certainly have almost no opportunity to hear it, and even contemporary French people have largely forgotten its existence, it was actually a song created based on a melody hummed by Empress Hortense, Napoleon III's mother, and was frequently performed before Napoleon III during the Second Empire as an alternative to the national anthem. He was defeated in the Franco-Prussian War, went into exile in England, and died there. In other words, the dinosaur (monster) that has now lost its power and is reduced to mere bones was Napoleon III. And the message he conveys forms the latter part. It is Rosina's aria 'Una voce poco fa' from Rossini's opera The Barber of Seville. This is the scene where the heroine Rosina expresses her determination to escape from her guardian, who keeps her confined, and achieve her love. In other words, it is the song of a loser's howl, where Napoleon III, who remained in exile in England and could not return to France, boasts from his grave that he will return to France and reclaim power, which is likely where the "wah-ha-ha..." laughter comes from. Saint-Saëns's around Saint-Saëns, such as the singer Pauline Viardot, who were forced into exile and endured difficult times. And looking back now, the French folk songs mentioned earlier might have been Napoleon III's songs of longing for his homeland.

Reason for the Lifetime Ban on Publication and Performance of The Carnival of the Animals

Therefore, with this explanation, the reason why Saint-Saëns prohibited the publication and performance of The Carnival of the Animals during his lifetime in his will might become understandable. It was for political reasons. Even though Napoleon III and his imperial prince had already passed away, the embers of Bonapartist remnants were still smoldering at that time. If, by any chance, circumstances changed and the meaning of "Fossils" became known, the composer's public standing could be severely jeopardized due to charges of disrespect. Indeed, immediately after the premiere of The Carnival of the Animals, the work's reputation spread, to the extent that even Liszt wished to hear it. Consequently, concerts were spontaneously organized without the composer's knowledge, and letters urgently requesting their cancellation remain. Saint-Saëns's nervous reaction confirms that this piece was not just any ordinary composition.

However, this might be considered a somewhat over-interpreted theory, so let me offer a more innocuous explanation at the end.

Saint-Saëns himself described this piece as "comical" in his letters, and The Carnival of the Animals was indeed a musical joke. Examples of this kind already exist, such as Mozart's A Musical Joke, K. 522, but these were internal jokes, and there was a risk of damaging one's reputation if they were publicly released during one's lifetime.

Furthermore, in 18th-century France, a divergence between elite culture and popular culture began. Among what was considered barbaric popular culture was the ritual of "charivari," where people would go to the house of someone who had violated community rules and make a boisterous commotion. Similarly, "carnival" was also deemed vulgar and disorderly. This piece was originally conceived for students, and it retains elements of youthful exuberance, or rather, the boisterous revelry of young people. Therefore, as a cultured person (honnête homme) who had no interest in popular success like operettas, Saint-Saëns likely did not want to present the popular Carnival of the Animals in public. Saint-Saëns himself was well aware that this piece would be "well-received," and he feared that it would overshadow his other "serious" works.