Zaal is a legendary Persian king, who is recognized as one of the greatest warriors of the Shahnameh.

Zaal was born with white hair (an albino). Because of this defect, his father who blamed the evil spirit for the look of his son, rejected him. He was abandoned when only an infant.The mythical simurgh (a wise  phoenix) found the baby and took him to her nest and raised him as her own.

Later on, as a young man, he was united again with his father.