get_path.rb

class Hash
  def deep(*path)
    path.inject(self) {|h,k| h.respond_to?(:fetch) ? h.fetch(k, nil) : h}
  end
end

#example
 stuff = { 
   :foo => {
     :bar => nil
   },
   :bar => {
     :baz => :whatever,
     :what => {:ever => nil }
   }
 }

p stuff.deep(:foo, :bar) || stuff.deep(:bar, :baz)
p stuff.deep(:foo, :bar) || stuff.deep(:bar, :baz) || stuff.deep(:bar, :what, :ever) || "nothing"