Here in Gåsedalen stands the small pillar in memory of Nils Olsen, or "Treske-Nils". The stone is less than 20 cm high and is said to have been placed by Alf Strai and Arne Voreland on the spot where he was found dead. On the stone itself it says:
"Nils Olsent 12/1-34".
This is the date of the day it was found.
Nils Olsen originally came from Vegårdshei. Those who remember Nils say that he was a jovial little guy who worked constantly. Nils got his nickname because he helped thresh grain. He was
The memorial for "Treske-Nils". Photo: Ole-Jørgen Hasle 2020
was also called "Sprege-Nils" because he made brooms out of Sprege buckets. Most people in
Dorf had one of Nils' broomsticks in the house. Nils Olsen lived with several men who worked for board and lodging with the widow Karen Ånesen
Gåseland on Sjømyr in Hovàg, about 300 meters east of where the memorial stone is. When he was in Tveit he stayed with "mother of the homeless" Theodine Drangsholt, who "...always had an eye on passers-by who couldn't get shelter.".
In his article in Tveit Historielag Årsskrift no. 12-2002, Arne Egil Larsen mentions that Nils had a speech impediment and couldn't pronounce the letter "k". He also had "a somewhat odd and somewhat stiff gait" - he walked with his toes curled under his feet because his shoes were too small.
At Christmas 1933, Nils was on his way between Drangsholt and Sjømyr. The path he used was marked with stones, but he took the wrong path and got lost. Due to a misunderstanding and because it was Christmas weekend, everyone in Drangsholt thought he was in Sjømyr. Those in Sjømyr, on the other hand, thought he was in Drangsholt. As a result, no one was sent to look for him, and it wasn't until January 12 that he was gone.
Nils Olsen, or "Treske-Nils", pictured on Drangsholt in front of Tønnes Drangsholt's house
In 1934 he was found. At that time he was sitting dead behind a tree here in Gåsedalen, no more than 300 meters from the safety of the house on Sjømyr.