He was told he would need a gold chain long enough to reach below, a snail's shell filled with sand, a white hen, a black cat, and a palm nut, all of which he was to carry in a bag.
Aside from the obvious, as the text later mentions what the items are for, I'm curious, what is the significance of the items? For example, why a gold chain? Why a snail shell? Why does it have to be a white hen and a black cat? Why the palm nut as apposed to other trees?