This is a modern story, written like a folktale, by Nobel Prize–winning author Isaac Bashevis Singer.
The stoy of Zlateh the Goat takes place at Hanukkah time. Reuven, the father of Aaron, came up with the idea to sell their twelve-year-old female goat, Zlateh, to the butcher to get money for Hanukkah. Zlateh wasn't producing milk anymore, so to them she was useless.
Reuven sent his oldest son, Aaron, to take Zlateh to the butcher. Zlateh was accustomed to humans, so she didn't resist. As they were walking, a dark cloud came overhead. Aaron thought it was just a rain cloud, but it soon begain to hail. The hail turned into snow, and then there was a fully-grown blizzard. The snow covered the path, so Aaron eventually lost his way. He knew that if he stayed out in the cold any longer, he and Zlateh would surely die.
He scanned the horizon for any form of shelter. He didn't see anything but a hill. When he got closer he saw the hill was actually a large pile of hay covered by the snow. Thinking quickly, Aaron dug into the pile of hay and created a makeshift shelter for Zlateh and him. Then he noticed that there wouldn't be enough air for a boy and a goat, so he made a small "window" in the side to let air go in and out.
For three days they stayed in their cave built of hay. On the first day, Aaron ate all of the food he had packed. He then noticed that Zlateh's udders were full, and she let him drink her milk. He lived off of Zlateh's milk for the time they spent together in their "cave."
Then, on the fourth day he heard a peasant in a cart going along the road outside their haystack. He asked the peasant which way it was to his village, and then he set off with Zlateh.
His parents and siblings had given up search for him becuase they thought he was lost forever. When he arrived, they rejoiced. Never again did the thought of selling Zlateh cross their minds. They now treated her as a person and part of the family.