What is "cercopes"

In Greek mythology, the Cercopes (, plural of Κέρκωψ, from κέρκος (n.) kerkos "tail") were mischievous forest creatures who lived in Thermopylae or on Euboea but roamed the world and might turn up anywhere mischief was afoot. They were two brothers, but their names are given variously, Passalus and Acmon, Basalas and Achemon, Olus and Eurybatus, or Sillus and Triballus, depending on the context, but usually known as sons of Theia and Oceanus, thus ancient spirits.

Cercopes was a slapstick, epic poem attributed to Homer, written circa the 7th or 8th century BC. The contents of this poem have been lost. The surviving fragments of this work are published under Hesiod's works in the Loeb Classical Library.