With the help of the feather, I managed to move further than the tree, until the met boat with stone monsters. I would replay it further, but the problem is that the text is slow to display. The game lacks the function of instant text display.
Haha yea, I know the feeling. Story kept mee coming back though.
I didn't get stoned by the boat.
Did you not smash the statues in the workplace? Maybe that's the difference.
Sorry for spoilers;
After the second bar incident I went to the tree and lost the feather.
Then I went to recollect it before helping the mother and then I got the food.
Hope it helps :)