Hash#fetch with multiple keys => Hash.path

hash.rb

module CoreExt
  module PathExtension

    # this method recursively calls fetch with every key you provide
    # the last key argument is used as the default value
    def path(*keys)
      key = keys.shift

      case keys.length
        when 0
          key
        when 1
          fetch(key, keys.last)
        else
          # fetch next key, default to hash
          val = self.fetch(key, {})
          if val.respond_to?(:path)
            val.path(*keys)
          else
            # we got a non-hash value back, so we return the value directly
            val
          end
      end
    end

  end
end

class Hash
  include CoreExt::PathExtension
end