Crow Sister, thanks for your prompt reply. Of course, I should have realised what you meant, because here in Scotland there is a saying - "Ca' canny" - which means something like 'Go carefully/Take care' and (by extension) 'Don't rush in!".
Seems to me that what we're saying is that the initial approach to any ballad is exactly that -- the start of a process of familiarisation during which the singer gets to grips over a period of time with the story, finds solutions for the tricky bits, and settles into the ballad until it becomes like a second skin.
It's not a quick fix, but good things come to those who wait!